The spike in prices comes after the White House said it is considering continuing the current blockade for months if necessary, while Donald Trump is scheduled to be briefed on possible new military actions against Iran on Thursday.
Amid the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the possibility of American strikes resuming in Iran, oil prices skyrocketed again on Thursday. Brent crude oil rose by more than 7.5%, surpassing $125 per barrel.
This is double its price before the attack launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, which resulted in thousands of deaths, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and whose impacts are increasingly felt on the global economy.
“The blockade is somewhat more effective than bombings”
This new surge comes after a senior U.S. official indicated on Wednesday that the White House is considering “continuing the current blockade for months if necessary.”
“The blockade is somewhat more effective than bombings,” Donald Trump commented in an interview with the American site Axios. In total, 42 ships have been intercepted to date as they attempted to “violate the blockade,” and 41 tankers cannot leave Iran, according to Admiral Brad Cooper, the U.S. commander for the Middle East, who deemed the blockade “highly effective.”
The oil market also reacted after Axios reported that Donald Trump was to be briefed on Thursday by the military on possible new military actions against Iran. The media added that Centcom has prepared options involving a wave of “short and powerful” strikes against Iran, likely targeting infrastructure, (…)
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