Qatar Denies Striking Iran As Middle East Conflict Intensifies — Dow Jones Tumbles Over 1200 Points As Markets Go Risk-Off

• Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said Iran did not notify Doha of the missile strikes, while adding that the Iranian attacks targeted not just military sites but all of Qatar’s territory.
• Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly vowed to strike all economic hubs in the Middle East if the joint attacks by the United States and Israel continue.
• Amid the rising tensions, the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a warning about an imminent threat of missile and drone attacks at the consulate in Dhahran.

Qatar on Tuesday denied reports that it launched strikes on Iran following an attack on its capital, Doha.

“Qatar has not been part of the campaign targeting Iran. We are exercising our right in self-defense and deterring Iranian attacks against our country,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Dr. Majed Al Ansari, stated in a post on X.

U.S. equities plummeted amid the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling by over 1,200 points before recovering to hover at 48,200, down by over 700 points. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite indexes were both down 1.33% at the time of writing.

“Risk-off sentiment intensified as the Middle East conflict entered its fourth day with no end in sight.  Stocks fell sharply with long-duration names hit hardest,” The Future Fund’s Gary Black said in a post on X on Tuesday.

Iran Strikes 12 Countries In Middle East

Ansari stated at a press conference on Tuesday that Iran has struck a dozen countries in the Middle East, with Qatar being one of them, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

He added that Iran did not notify Doha about the incoming missile strikes, while stating that the Iranian targets were not limited to military sites but included all Qatari territory.

“There were attempts to attack Hamad International Airport. They were all thwarted. … The missiles were downed by our defensive measures, and none of them reached the airport,” Ansari added, according to the report.

Iran Vows To Hit Economic Hubs In Middle East If Attacks Continue

Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly vowed to strike all economic hubs in the Middle East if the joint attacks by the United States and Israel continue, as it looks to draw in other countries in the region to pressure the U.S. and Israel to back off.

The warning was issued by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Ebrahim Jabbari, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

“We are saying to the enemy that if it decides to hit our main centres, we will hit all economic centres in the region,” Jabbari said.

US Embassy In Saudi Arabia Issues Warning

The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a warning about an imminent threat of missile and drone attacks at the consulate in Dhahran.

“Do not go outside. The U.S. Consulate in Dhahran urges U.S. citizens in Dhahran to shelter in place, review security plans in the event of an attack, and to stay alert in case of additional future attacks,” it said in a post on X.

Trump Issues Warning

Hours after saying that the United States will do “whatever it takes” to achieve its objectives in the Iran war, President Trump warned Iran that it’s “too late” for talks with the country.

Subsequently, the President stated in a post on Truth Social that the U.S. has “unlimited mid to upper tier” weaponry.

“We have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies,” he said in another post.

At the time of writing, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), which tracks the S&P 500 index, was down 1.3%; the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) lost 1.38%; and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) declined 1.37%. Retail sentiment on Stocktwits regarding the S&P 500 ETF was in the ‘bearish’ territory.

Also See: Wharton's Jeremy Siegel Downplays Concerns Of AI Causing Mass Unemployment After Block Cuts 4,000 Jobs: 'If AI Were To Double Productivity...'

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