Sunday evening brought another round of mixed signals for markets, as U.S. stock futures wavered and oil prices surged on the ninth consecutive night of American airstrikes against Iran. The escalating conflict, rising troop casualties, and renewed fears about oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are keeping investors on edge.

Oil Prices Jump, Dow Futures Slip

Dow futures slipped 12 points, or 0.02%, to 52,363.00, while S&P 500 futures gained 5 points, or 0.07%, to 7,502.75. Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 82.25 points, or 0.29%, to 28,855.50 as of around 8:57 p.m. EDT. The tech-heavy index's resilience suggests some investors are still betting on growth stocks despite the geopolitical turmoil.

In commodities, the action was all about oil. WTI crude rose 2.06% to $84.19 per barrel, and Brent crude—the global benchmark—gained 2.33% to $90.15 per barrel. That's the first time Brent has crossed the $90 threshold in a while, and it reflects the market's growing anxiety about supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for about a fifth of the world's oil. Natural gas futures, meanwhile, fell 0.82% to $2.887 per MMBtu.

The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, edged up 0.04% to 100.793, showing some safe-haven demand. Asian markets weren't so lucky: South Korea's KOSPI dropped 1.64% to 6,708.54, and Japan's Nikkei 225 tumbled 4.03% to 64,141.12, as the conflict's proximity weighed on regional sentiment.

U.S. Launches Ninth Straight Night of Strikes Against Iran

The U.S. military kept up the pressure Sunday, with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announcing that the latest wave of strikes began around 7 p.m. ET. "The strikes will continue degrading Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial vessels and civilian mariners transiting the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said in a statement.

Iranian state media and the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported explosions in several cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr, Bandar Imam Khomeini, Jask, Sirik, and Bushehr, according to CNN. The strikes are part of Washington's ongoing campaign to respond to Iranian attacks and secure one of the world's most vital oil shipping routes.

Trump Reacts as U.S. Troop Death Toll Climbs to 17

The human cost of the conflict is mounting. The Pentagon confirmed that a third U.S. service member had been killed in recent fighting, and unidentified remains were recovered near the site of an earlier Iranian attack that had left two American troops dead and another missing. That brings the total number of U.S. military deaths since the conflict began in February to 17.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters after returning from the FIFA World Cup final, expressed sympathy for the fallen troops. "We feel very badly, but you know those great people, those great patriots … out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

The president also made clear the campaign isn't letting up. "Iran has been very, very badly damaged. They've lost everything almost militarily. They've got very little left," Trump said, adding that the U.S. "hit them very hard again tonight."

For investors, the key question is how long this lasts and whether it disrupts oil flows enough to push prices even higher. So far, the market is pricing in a prolonged conflict, but the mixed futures suggest some are still looking past the noise to tech earnings and other drivers. For now, oil is the story—and it's not a comforting one.