The Bitcoin hash rate recently experienced a significant drop, sparking debate about the cause. CoinBureau's Nic Puckrin suggests the Israel-Iran conflict may be a factor, pointing out Iran's 3.1% share of global Bitcoin mining. Iran utilizes cryptocurrency mining to circumvent US sanctions by selling energy to foreign miners, primarily Chinese, in exchange for crypto. The timing of the hash rate decrease coincides with recent US airstrikes, leading to speculation about disrupted mining operations in the region. However, an alternative explanation is the ongoing heatwave in Texas, USA, a major Bitcoin mining hub. Extreme temperatures can force mining facilities to shut down to prevent equipment damage, thus impacting the overall hash rate. While the exact cause remains uncertain, both geopolitical events and environmental factors likely contributed to the recent decline in Bitcoin's hash rate, highlighting the network's vulnerability to external events. Further investigation is needed to ascertain the precise impact of each factor. ```

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