On June 1, world oil prices rose by more than 2% due to a new wave of escalation in the Middle East. Reuters reports this.
As of Monday morning, futures for US WTI oil rose to $89.65 per barrel, and Brent now costs $93.17 per barrel.
This weekend, the United States and Iran, despite the truce, exchanged new blows. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said U.S. forces struck an Iranian radar station and drone control centers in Goruk, Iran, and Qeshm Island.
It is noted that the strikes were carried out in response to “aggressive actions by Iran,” which included the destruction of an American MQ-1 drone flying over international waters. American fighters responded by destroying Iranian air defense systems, a ground control station and two kamikaze drones.
In turn, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck an airbase that the United States used to attack southern Iran. The IRGC did not specify which facility it was talking about, writes Reuters.
However, according to media reports, a large American base in Kuwait could have come under attack: it was there that missiles and drones were intercepted.
Also, as Reuters notes, oil prices were affected by the order of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance the country's troops deep into Lebanon to fight the Tehran-backed Hezbollah group. Sky News reported this on May 29.
In turn, the United States proposed a “gradual de-escalation” plan under which Hezbollah would first stop attacks on Israel in exchange for Israel refraining from escalating in Beirut, a US official said on May 31, Reuters writes.
