Oil prices jump after Iran and U.S. attack commercial ships as tensions escalate over Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. Navy on Sunday fired on an Iranian container ship in the Gulf of Oman and the Marines later took custody of the vessel.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard fired on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. A container ship in the strait was also hit by an unknown projectile.

It is unclear whether the U.S. and Iran will meet for a second round of peace negotiations.

Crude oil prices surged Sunday, as the U.S. and Iran teetered on the brink of a renewed war after attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Furthermore, experts in earnings report note the continued relevance.

West Texas Intermediate futures for May delivery rose about 7% to $89.74 per barrel by 6:45 p.m. ET. International benchmark Brent for June delivery advanced nearly 5.8% to $95.59.

The U.S. Navy on Sunday fired on an Iranian container ship in the Gulf of Oman, and the Marines later took custody of the ship, President Donald Trump stated. The ship had tried to get past the U.S. naval blockade of Iran’s ports, Trump noted in a Truth Social post.

The U.S. seizure of the ship came after Iran attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Revolutionary Guard gunboats fired on the tanker and a container ship was hit by an unknown projectile, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Operations Centre.

Trump on Sunday threatened again to blow up every power plant and bridge in Iran if its leaders do not accept a deal with the U.S. The ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran will expire this week. Trump called Iran’s weekend attacks on ships a “total violation” of the truce.

It is unclear whether the U.S. and Iran will meet for a second round of peace negotiations in Pakistan.

Trump mentioned the U.S. and Iran would hold talks in Islamabad on Monday. But Iran noted it would not attend due to the ongoing U.S. naval blockade, among other grievances, according to state news agency IRNA.

The sudden escalation in tensions over the weekend came after the U.S. and Iran appeared to be nearing an agreement at the end of last week.

Oil prices tumbled on Friday after Iran suddenly declared the strait completely open to commercial traffic in response to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. But it quickly became clear that Tehran was imposing the same conditions for transit through the strait as before. This also touches on aspects of wall street.

Trump, meanwhile, refused to lift the U.S. naval blockade of Iran. Tehran reversed course and remarked the strait would remain closed until the blockade is lifted.

WATCH: Shipowners cautious about sending vessels through the Strait of Hormuz

AI Disclosure: This article has been generated and curated using advanced AI technology. While we strive for absolute accuracy, some details may be summarized or translated by autonomous systems. Please cross-reference critical financial data with official sources.