Oil Nears $100 Amid US-Iran Hostilities and Missile Attacks

Oil prices surged on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, nearing $100 a barrel as renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran threatened global energy flows. The benchmark Brent crude traded above $97, with WTI crude at $94.33 and Murban spiking to $110.80, reflecting market concerns over potential disruptions to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command confirmed that its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers early Wednesday. The action was stated as a response to attempted ballistic missile attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on a US Navy warship over the preceding two days. The IRGC, however, claimed in a statement published by the official IRNA news agency that they attacked two US vessels, eight oil tankers, and 10 other vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The US warship involved in the incident reportedly evaded the Iranian attacks without harm to American personnel. Adding to regional tensions, Jordan's Armed Forces announced that its air defense systems intercepted 18 out of 20 ballistic missiles fired toward Jordanian territory from Iran.