Dollar Rises, Euro Falls as Iran Conflict Raises Energy Prices and Market Uncertainty

Following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, investors sought safe-haven currencies, boosting the dollar and Swiss franc while the euro and other energy-importing nations' currencies declined. The strikes heightened Middle East conflict risks, causing oil prices to surge nearly 9%, disrupting seaborne trade through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by targeting U.S. and British oil tankers, with regional blasts reported, intensifying geopolitical tensions and market uncertainty.