Oil prices rose in early electronic trading Sunday evening as investors digested the impact of U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities—a direct escalation that injected new geopolitical risk into energy markets and reignited concerns over Middle Eastern supply. Brent crude, the international benchmark, surged as much as 5.7 percewnt to top $81 per barrel before settling near a 2.2% gain, trading around $78.80 as of early evening.
West Texas Intermediate gained 2.4 oercewnt to about $75.60. Both benchmarks spiked following the news of the strikes and then eased as markets awaited Tehran’s response. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that U.S. forces had struck the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran. The strikes marked Washington’s first direct military action in the Iran–Israel conflict. The president warned of further strikes if Iran failed to stand down.
Iran’s government has responded cautiously. State outlets reported that officials said the country reserved “all options,” and that parliament had passed a motion calling for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. While the decision rests with Iran’s national security council and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the possibility pushed risk premiums higher. The Strait of Hormuz remains a global choke point: roughly one‑fifth of the world’s crude flows through it. Even a brief disruption could significantly tighten supplies. (Read more)
