Mumbai, June 13 -- Indian stock markets witnessed a steep fall on Friday morning, marking what many are calling a "Black Friday" for investors. Both benchmark indices opened deep in the red, reacting sharply to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The Nifty 50 index plummeted to 24,473.00, losing 415.20 points or -1.67 per cent, while the BSE Sensex fell to 80,429.54, down by 1262.44 points or -1.55 per cent in early trade.

The sharp fall came after Israel launched an attack on Iran early Friday, sharply increasing fears of a broader regional conflict.

The United States issued a statement terming the attack a unilateral military action by Israel and warned Iran against retaliating by targeting US bases and facilities in the...