The price of oil in international markets has again exceeded $91 per barrel, reaching its highest level since the end of July.
Brent oil, the main reference for the global market, traded around $91, while US WTI climbed near $85. The new price fluctuations come at a time of heightened tension between the United States and Iran, as hopes for a quick agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz fade.
The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claimed to have targeted a Saudi Aramco refinery in southwestern Saudi Arabia. CNN has not been able to independently verify the claim, and Saudi authorities have not yet commented.
On the other hand, the news that a ship was hit by an “unknown projectile” in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran says will remain closed, also raised concerns in the markets. The Islamic Republic has set conditions for opening this strategic shipping route, demanding, among other things, the lifting of US sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to threats and military operations.
Markets are already reacting to the uncertainty, with analysts warning that oil prices could remain high if the strait is not reopened and tensions in the region continue.