U.S. crude oil prices on Thursday broke above $79 per barrel after Iran claimed to have attacked a tanker.
The price of West Texas Intermediate oil was last up 6.86%, or $5.12, at $79.78 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent rose 4.31%, or $3.51, to $84.91 per barrel at 11:30 a.m. ET. Oil prices have surged more than 17% this week.
Iran claimed to have struck an oil tanker with a missile, according to a state media report. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard ordered a closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week and threatened to attack tankers passing through it, according to state media.
The British Navy on Thursday reported a large explosion at a tanker at anchor in Iraqi territorial waters. The ship’s master reported seeing a small vessel flee the scene. The crew is safe and no fires were reported.
Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a standstill since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began, as ship owners are worried about the volatile security situation. About 20% of global oil consumption is exported through the strait.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday the U.S. will provide political risk insurance for tankers passing through the strait. Trump said the U.S. Navy would escort ships through the Persian Gulf if necessary.
The Trump administration does not have a timeline for when the strait will be safe for commercial shipping again, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday.
“I don’t want to commit to a timeline, but certainly it’s something that is being calculated actively by both the Department of War and the Department of Energy,” Leavitt said when asked during a briefing.