IRGC Casualties in Iraq Strike Raise Crypto Market Concerns
A joint US-Saudi airstrike on Iraq killed four members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), escalating tensions in the region and rattling crypto markets.
The precision strike targeted logistics hubs and weapons sites used by IRGC-aligned militias, particularly the Popular Mobilization Forces, which operate under significant IRGC influence. At least 20 PMF fighters were killed and 32 others wounded across multiple Iraqi provinces.
The strikes were framed as retaliation for over 30 drone attacks targeting US military installations and Saudi energy infrastructure in the preceding 72 hours, attributed to IRGC-directed forces.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi denounced the strikes, calling them 'unacceptable aggression.'
The IRGC's digital footprint is significant, with an estimated $7.8 billion flowing through channels tied to the organization. Roughly $3 billion of that has reportedly moved through IRGC-affiliated wallets.