The Iranian military claims that US military bases in the Middle East are "legitimate targets."
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Iranian military strikes US base in Bahrain, threatens further attacks
According to Mars Finance, citing Jinshi News, the Iranian military stated that it has launched strikes against US bases in Bahrain and pledged further attacks should the US launch another attack on Iran.
Bitunix Analyst: Canceling Iranian Oil Waivers and Deteriorating Hormuz Situation Increase Risk Asset Volatility
According to BlockBeats, on July 8th, global markets were focused on the renewed deterioration of the situation in the Middle East. The US not only expanded its military strikes against Iran but also revoked waivers for Iranian oil sales, further escalating security risks in the Strait of Hormuz. International oil prices surged by approximately 5%, reflecting the market's re-inflation of energy supply uncertainty. The situation is no longer just a simple military conflict; rather, it involves a simultaneous increase in risks to energy transportation and the global supply chain. Iran continues to strengthen its claims to control the Strait of Hormuz, while the US military has raised the local shipping threat level to "serious," indicating that global energy transportation remains highly volatile. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia's plan to expand its Red Sea oil pipeline shows that major oil-producing countries have already planned alternative transportation routes to reduce their dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. Regarding monetary policy, New York Federal Reserve President Williams stated that lower energy prices have helped improve short-term inflation, but policy remains in an appropriate position. He did not provide clear guidance on future interest rate direction, and the Fed will continue to adjust policy based on economic data. It is worth noting that the risks in the US technology sector have also increased simultaneously. Nasdaq 100 volatility has reached a two-decade high, with AI-related trading remaining highly concentrated. Some Wall Street institutions have begun using options for hedging and are gradually shifting funds towards defensive sectors such as healthcare and consumer staples, reflecting profit-taking pressure on highly valued tech stocks. In the crypto market, Bitcoin remains range-bound. Short-term market liquidity is mainly concentrated in four key liquidation zones: $62,500 and $60,000 on the downside, and $64,300 and $67,700 on the upside. With continued macroeconomic disruptions, prices may still see liquidity liquidation around highly leveraged positions, and short-term volatility is expected to remain high. The market will continue to monitor developments in the Middle East, oil prices, and global risk sentiment.
The US military claims to have completed a new round of strikes against Iran.
According to a recent statement and video released by the U.S. Odaily Command, the U.S. military launched a new round of offensive strikes against Iran, using precision-guided munitions to hit more than 80 targets, in a "direct response to Iran's recent attacks on merchant ships sailing in the Strait of Hormuz." The statement said that the US military's targets included Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, and anti-ship missile capabilities; in addition, more than 60 small vessels of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were destroyed in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters. This comes after Iran previously attacked three merchant ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz: the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker "Al-Recayat," the Saudi Arabian-flagged oil tanker "Vedian," and the Liberian-flagged oil tanker "Cyprus Prosperity." US Central Command forces remain on high alert, and "the US will hold Iran accountable should it fail to comply with or violate the agreement." (Jin Shi)
A summary of the latest situation in the Middle East: Trump approves plan to strike Iran; Iran believes the US will cause peace talks to fail.
BlockBeats reports the following is a summary of the latest situation in the Middle East on July 8th: Conflict Situation: Trump approved the strike plan against Iran. US officials stated that the strike against Iran was a "punitive action, not a reciprocal response," and that the operation "will not end anytime soon." A US official stated that the strike launched by the US against Iran on Tuesday was four to five times larger and more powerful than the strike launched 10 days earlier. The US revoked a general license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil, allowing related final transactions to continue until midnight Eastern Time on July 17th. This move is reportedly in response to Iran's recent firing on three merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that some merchant ships were sailing without coordination and had turned off or tampered with AIS signals, hindering safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. It urged regional countries and shipping companies to avoid any actions that violate the memorandum. The U.S. Central Command stated that its forces have initiated a series of powerful strikes against Iran in response to Iranian targeting and attacks on commercial shipping operated by civilian crews in international waterways. Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the U.S. Treasury Department's revocation of the temporary suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales. U.S.-Iran Negotiations: Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi stated that if the threats persist, negotiations for a final agreement will not begin; please honor your commitments. Iran's Supreme Leader's advisor, Rezaei, stated that it is clear the U.S. will cause the negotiations to fail. Lebanese diplomatic sources indicated that Lebanon refused to hold the sixth round of Lebanon-Israel talks in Rome, insisting that negotiations should continue in Washington. Strait of Hormuz: A liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. Multiple explosions occurred in the southern Iranian port city of Sirik. Explosions were heard on Qeshm Island and Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. British Maritime Authority: The threat level in the Strait of Hormuz has been raised to "serious".
US media: Saudi Arabia's reluctance to cooperate with the US military at a critical moment has created a rift between the two countries.
According to a report by the Wall Odaily Journal, as part of an ambitious operation to open the Strait of Hormuz this spring, more than 100 U.S. military aircraft planned to take off from bases and warships across the Middle East, but encountered an unexpected obstacle: Saudi Arabia—whose bases and airspace are crucial to the mission—refused to participate. According to U.S. officials familiar with the matter, this obstruction forced the U.S. to halt Operation Freedom of Navigation, thus ending a military operation launched by Trump at the time aimed at ensuring the safe passage of ships. U.S. and Arab officials familiar with the discussions said the White House angrily threatened to suspend the delivery of interceptors to Saudi Arabia for intercepting Iranian missiles and drones if it did not change its stance. Saudi Arabia eventually conceded, but U.S. officials at the time stated that the damage caused would be difficult to repair. Some U.S. officials revealed that the U.S. is currently considering reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia.
Kuaishou's subsidiary, Keling AI, is about to complete a $3 billion funding round, with a Middle Eastern fund potentially leading the investment.
According to Mars Finance, citing Bianews, Kuaishou's "Keling AI" is about to complete an independent financing round exceeding $3 billion, valuing the company at $18 billion post-money. It is understood that the lead investor in this round may be a fund with Middle Eastern background, with Tencent, Alibaba, General Atlantic, Sequoia Capital, and other well-known institutions also on the list of potential investors. Keling AI plans to complete its restructuring and shareholding reform in 2026 and is expected to formally submit its IPO application in early 2027. It is worth noting that the $18 billion valuation is a price after market "revaluation." Kuaishou's initial expectation was $20 billion, which was later lowered due to capital market feedback. Even so, this is still the largest financing round in the global AI video generation sector in 2026. Public financial reports show that Keling's revenue last year was approximately 1.04 billion yuan, accounting for only 0.73% of Kuaishou's total revenue. However, since the beginning of this year, its commercialization pace has accelerated significantly: first-quarter revenue exceeded 650 million yuan, a year-on-year surge of over 300%; as of March this year, its annualized recurring revenue (ARR) had reached $500 million. During the same period, Keling's global user base exceeded 60 million, with over 600 million videos generated cumulatively, and API services provided to over 30,000 enterprises and developers. Based on a valuation of $18 billion and an ARR of $500 million, Keling AI's current price-to-sales ratio (Price/ARR) is approximately 36 times.