Israel’s defence minister says US warplanes struck Iran from Israeli bases

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that US warplanes conducted airstrikes on Iran using Israeli military bases as a launchpad. The announcement, coming amid a sharp escalation in Middle East tensions, sent immediate shockwaves through financial markets, with crypto bearing a disproportionate share of the pain. The strikes, which began on February 28, 2026, were characterized by Israeli officials as pre-emptive in nature. Katz subsequently declared a state of emergency in Israel, signalling that the government considered the security situation severe enough to warrant extraordinary domestic measures. What actually happened Katz followed up on the diplomatic track on July 16, 2026, speaking directly with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss the ongoing operations in Iran. That conversation confirmed that the coordination between Washington and Jerusalem was not a one-off tactical decision but part of an active, ongoing military campaign. Israel had already signalled its readiness for both independent and joint military actions against Iran in the weeks leading up to the strikes. The February 28 operation was not a surprise to anyone who had been watching the buil...