U.S. military renews strikes on Iran while tankers come under attack in Strait of Hormuz; U.S. launches new strikes on I
Measured from 13 Jul 2026 (event start), not the 13 Jul 2026 announcement
Oil & gas producers moved +6.3%, the largest reaction measured, though not statistically significant, meaning it may reflect normal market noise rather than the event itself.
XOM, CVX, COP · up
What Happened
The United States Central Command conducted at least three consecutive nights of precision air strikes against Iranian military targets across multiple sites including Kish Island, Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas, and undisclosed locations near Natanz nuclear facilities. Targets included coastal radar and surveillance systems, ballistic missile and drone production facilities, and other military infrastructure. Simultaneously, commercial tankers operating in the Strait of Hormuz reported attacks, with unclear attribution between U.S. and Iranian forces. Iranian response included missile and drone strikes against U.S. military facilities in the Gulf region. President Trump announced a unilateral blockade of Iran and declared the U.S. would charge a toll (initially stated as 20 percent) for safe passage of vessels through the Strait. Trump stated a deal remained possible even as strikes continued.
Sustained air campaign against Middle East energy and military infrastructure; tanker attacks creating realized shipping disruption; blockade declaration creates explicit intent to restrict critical energy chokepoint.
Three consecutive nights of strikes beginning July 13, 2026, with third night confirmed for July 14 (Tuesday); ongoing military operations.
Reporting confirms three consecutive nights of U.S. strikes beginning on or around July 13, 2026, with the third night explicitly dated to Tuesday (July 14 by UTC). Strikes are ongoing and escalating.
Read how dates work →How To Read This
Each sector below is a basket of named stocks. The percentage shown is the move beyond the overall market (S&P 500) , what event studies call the . A move only counts as when it sits clearly outside that basket's normal weekly swings.
How Much Sectors Moved
Path over time. Click a sector in the legend to toggle it. Dashed lines mark key moments.
Oil & gas producers moved most at +6.3% against the market, the direction you would expect from a bombing. None of the moves cleared the significance threshold. Read the direction as flavour, not signal.
Volatility
Volatility measures how erratic prices became, a separate signal from the direction of the move.
Market fear eased
- Oil tanker operators54% → 32%1.7x calmer after
- Oil & gas producers29% → 28%volatility roughly unchanged
- Defense contractors33% → 16%2.0x calmer after
- Gold25% → 24%volatility roughly unchanged
- Airline stocks45% → 40%1.1x calmer after
The VIX fell 3.0 percent across the window, essentially flat. Read this as the market's demand for protection, not the direction of any single sector.
A ratio above 1.00 means the sector's daily-price swings widened after the event. Oil & gas producers became the most erratic at 0.98×, and 0 of 5 sectors traded meaningfully wider than they did before. Volatility is a separate signal from direction: a sector can end flat and still have traded wildly along the way.
Phases
| Sector | Peak Move | Peak Day | Reverted By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil tanker operators | +8.0% | Day 9 | Day 11 |
| Oil & gas producers | +11.5% | Day 19 | Still elevated |
| Defense contractors | -5.4% | Day 3 | Day 6 |
| Gold | +5.6% | Day 17 | Still elevated |
| Airline stocks | -13.3% | Day 4 | Day 7 |
The reaction peaked around day 10 on average. 3 of 5 sectors reverted inside the window, 2 were still elevated at the close. A reaction that reverts is a shock priced in; one that stays is a re-rating.
Historical Precedents
Companies Most Affected
Measured 35 days after the event. Full window complete.
This tool informs your decision. It does not give investment advice.