Brent Breaks $96 as U.S. Strikes Iran for 12th Consecutive Night - Crude Oil Prices Today | OilPrice.com

What the report says

OilPrice.com reported that crude prices rose to their strongest levels in more than six weeks in early Asian trading Thursday, as escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities and threats to Middle East shipping routes outweighed negative signals from U.S. inventory data. The outlet said West Texas Intermediate was at $88.25 a barrel, up 1.64%, while Brent reached $96.05, a 2.10% gain, at the time of publication.

According to the report, the rally followed what OilPrice.com described as a 12th consecutive wave of U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets. Citing U.S. Central Command, the article said American forces began the latest strikes at 5:30 p.m. ET Wednesday under orders from President Trump, with the stated aim of reducing Iran’s ability to endanger commercial shipping and civilian mariners in regional waters.

The market reaction was also tied to competing claims about maritime security. OilPrice.com said Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed an oil tanker caught fire after trying to pass through a mined route south of the Strait of Hormuz, and that two other tankers reportedly turned back. The report also cited Iranian warnings that ships would need coordination with Tehran to transit the area.

OilPrice.com further reported that Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis had broadened threats against maritime traffic, including Saudi oil shipments through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The developments matter because the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb are key chokepoints for global energy trade; even unverified or contested claims of disruption can raise risk premiums in oil prices and pressure fuel markets worldwide.