Elon Musk Advocates for Peace Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
On April 18, amid reports of an Israeli strike on Iran, Elon Musk took to Twitter to promote a message of peace, suggesting that rockets should be launched towards space, not at each other.
“We should be launching rockets at the stars, not at each other,” Musk tweeted, advocating for a focus on space exploration rather than military aggression.
Widely regarded as a supporter of Israel, Musk had visited the country in November 2023, meeting with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
His visit came after an October 7 tour of Kfar Azza kibbutz, a village previously attacked by Hamas militants, which subsequently sparked ongoing conflicts. In a conversation with Netanyahu on X, Musk expressed his shock at the scenes of devastation he witnessed.
Breaking News on Israeli Strike
The news was confirmed when Iranian state media reported a fire and explosion in the central province of Isfahan. Major news outlets reported hearing three explosions around the Shahekari Air Force Base in the northwest of Isfahan Province.
Isfahan, a significant location tied to Iran’s nuclear program including the underground Natanz enrichment facility, has been suspected of being a repeated target of Israeli attacks.
Impact of the Israeli Strike
Iran’s Tasnim news agency recently confirmed that all nuclear facilities in Isfahan remain secure.
Previously, Iran had launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, a retaliation for Israel’s continued strikes on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, which resulted in the death of two generals and several others.
In response to the attacks, the US imposed sanctions and export controls aimed at mitigating the impact.
President Joe Biden stated, “The sanctions target leaders and entities associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s Ministry of Defense, and the Iranian government’s missile and drone programs that facilitated this unprovoked attack.”
Some flights and air traffic were redirected through Iranian airspace, though passengers were not informed of the actual reasons for the detour.
Iran eventually announced the suspension of commercial flights in Tehran and its western and central regions. Loudspeakers at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport informed customers of the incidents, which were also broadcasted online.
Following the explosions, Iran’s national news agency reported that anti-aircraft guns were fired. The Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency specifically noted that the air defense systems targeted a major air force base in Isfahan.
Market Reaction to Musk’s Tweet
On the same day, Tesla (TSLA) shares fell by 3.55%, or $5.52, with further declines expected over the following week.
