Defense Stocks LMT, RTX, LHX Rocket as Israel-Iran Conflict Ignites Market Frenzy

War is hell—but it’s a hell of a boost for defense contractors. Lockheed Martin (LMT), Raytheon (RTX), and L3Harris (LHX) are surging as tensions between Israel and Iran escalate into open conflict. Investors are piling into the sector, betting on prolonged demand for missiles, drones, and the usual ''peacekeeping'' hardware.

Wall Street’s blood-to-money converter is running at full capacity—because nothing juices quarterly earnings like geopolitical instability. Meanwhile, crypto traders are left wondering if Satoshi envisioned defense ETFs as the ultimate ''hedge'' against fiat wars.

Funny how explosions overseas always seem to light a fire under these stocks. Almost like clockwork—or capitalism.

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Media reports say that Israel attacked Iran overnight on June 13, targeting nuclear facilities and military sites. While the attacks have sent global stock markets in Europe, Asia and the U.S. lower, they have led to a surge in the share prices of defense contractors.

LMT, RTX and LHX stocks are each up about 5% on news of the largest attack on Iran since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Israel itself has declared a state of emergency as Iran retaliated early on June 13 with a massive drone strike. Some media have raised the prospect of all-out war between Israel and Iran.

Gold and Oil

While U.S. defense stocks are gaining on news of the military conflict, it appears that Israel has carried out this latest attack on Iran independent of America. U.S. President Donald TRUMP has said that the American military has not been involved in the attack on Iran.

Israel currently employs Lockheed Martin’s F-35 stealth fighter jets and other state-of-the-art U.S. military equipment and weapons. In addition to defense stocks, the price of Gold is up 1.3% to $3,444 an ounce and Brent crude oil, the international standard, is up nearly 10% to $75.14 per barrel.

Is LMT Stock a Buy?

The stock of Lockheed Martin has a consensus Moderate Buy rating among 15 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on seven Buy and eight Hold recommendations assigned in the last three months. The average LMT price target of $521.07 implies 8.37% upside from current levels.