Global oil prices climbed above $90 per barrel as the conflict between the United States and Iran disrupted energy flows across the Middle East and raised fears of a prolonged supply shock.
The global benchmark Brent crude rose more than 6% to trade at $90.65 per barrel, while United States crude moved sharply higher to $88.11.
The rally followed escalating military action between the United States and Iran, which has spread across the region and slowed tanker movement through key shipping routes.
Rising tensions have triggered concerns that oil exports from the Gulf could be restricted if the conflict continues.
United States President Donald Trump demanded Iran’s surrender as the war entered another stage, warning that Washington would continue its military campaign.
“There will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender,” Trump said.
Beyond this, the conflict has begun to affect the wider energy market as traders reacted to the risk of major supply disruptions. Oil markets remain highly sensitive to instability in the Middle East because the region supplies a large share of global crude exports.
Why the Strait of Hormuz disruptions worry oil markets
The Strait of Hormuz hasb emerged as the main pressure point for global oil markets as the conflict intensifies across the Gulf region.
The narrow shipping route connects the Persian Gulf to international markets and serves as the main export corridor for crude produced by several Gulf nations.
Any restriction to traffic through the strait could delay or halt millions of barrels of oil shipments daily.
Recent military activity has already slowed tanker movement across the route, bringing traffic close to a standstill in parts of the corridor.
On his part, Qatar’s Energy Minister, Saad Al Kaabim, warned that continued disruptions could severely affect global energy supply.
“Everybody that has not called for force majeure we expect will do so in the next few days that this continues,” Kaabi said.
“All exporters in the Gulf region will have to call force majeure. If they don’t, they are at some point going to pay the liability for that legally, and that’s their choice,” he added.
In addition, Kaabi warned that crude prices could climb sharply if oil tankers are unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
This could “bring down the economies of the world,” he said.
How the US Iran war is pushing oil and fuel prices higher
The conflict between the United States and Iran has widened across the Middle East, affecting both energy production facilities and shipping activity.
Military officials indicated that operations could continue as the confrontation deepens.
In a press conference, United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military campaign remains in its early phase.
“We have only just begun to fight,” Hegseth told reporters.
“Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation,” he added. Meanwhile, fuel prices have already begun rising in consumer markets as crude prices climbed.
Data from the American Automobile Association showed that the average price of regular petrol in the United States rose by nearly 27 cents to reach $3.25 per gallon.
Higher crude prices typically lead to increased fuel costs because oil is the main raw material used to produce petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.
Therefore, prolonged disruption to oil supply routes in the Gulf could affect transport costs, electricity generation and industrial activity across several economies.
