Crude oil prices surged globally on Friday in response to Israel’s strike on Iran. The Middle East battle has been going on longer than expected, and allegations of an Israeli attack in the Iranian city of Isfahan early on Friday have caused supply worries. The price of ICE Brent crude increased by 1% to $88 per barrel over the previous trading day.
At the same moment, the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading at $83.73 per barrel, up 1.2% from the previous session’s closing price of $82.73 per barrel.
The bulk of the world’s oil reserves are found in the Middle East, where growing tensions have led to worries about serious supply problems that have supported higher oil prices.
According to US and Iranian media, Israel carried out a strike inside Iran in response to Iran’s attack on Israel with hundreds of kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic and cruise missiles on April 13.
Iran’s official state TV confirmed ‘massive explosions’ in the central Isfahan province but noted that no nuclear facilities were affected or targeted. The semi-official Mehr News Agency reported that three drones were destroyed in the skies above Isfahan province.
The Israeli military has not commented on the reported attack yet but said a security meeting is currently underway at Israel’s Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv. Pipeline Vandalism: CDS, Others Plan Security Summit
Meanwhile, the US, a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, vetoed the draft resolution authored by Algeria on Thursday, demanding Palestine’s full membership in the UN.
Palestine’s application for full UN membership amid a deadly Israeli offensive on Gaza was blocked with a vote of 12 in favor and two abstentions, including the UK and Switzerland. A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the five permanent members to pass.
The US began imposing sanctions once more on Venezuela, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and revoked its authorization to export oil to international markets, which further shored up prices.
Businesses will be forced to either apply for individual licenses from the US Department of Treasury or cease doing business with Venezuela by the end of May. This move is expected to drive up costs by inciting supply concerns.
