The US has launched a strike against Iran’s under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant, according to the Atomic Energy Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The strike, which occurred on July 19, 2026, marks another escalation in the sustained campaign against Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The Darkhovin site was planned to house a domestically built reactor with a capacity of 300 to 360 MW, but construction has been slow and troubled.
Previous Strikes
Previous strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure in June 2025 and February/March 2026 triggered between $595 million and $700 million in crypto long liquidations, with over $10 million in outflows from Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges. Bitcoin has consistently been the primary asset caught in these liquidation events.
Impact on Crypto Markets
Iran’s crypto sector, particularly its Bitcoin mining operations, relies heavily on the country’s low-cost electricity, and military strikes on energy infrastructure create cascading power disruptions. If power grid disruptions in Iran take significant mining capacity offline, even temporarily, that could affect Bitcoin’s global hashrate.
Volatility Ahead
Traders running leveraged long positions on Bitcoin or major altcoins should be paying close attention to the next 24 to 48 hours, as follow-on developments—including potential Iranian retaliation or additional US strikes—could extend the volatility window.
Based on reporting from cryptobriefing.com.
