Commodities
Home›Commodities›Energy›US CENTCOM strikes Iran-backed targets in Iraq after o…
US CENTCOM strikes Iran-backed targets in Iraq after oil facility drone attacks
WTI rose about 4% to $81.60 after the strikes, extending a rebound from two-week lows near $77 amid concerns about fresh escalation in the Middle East.
US Central Command said it carried out precision strikes in Iraq targeting Iran-backed groups planning attacks on US forces and Saudi oil facilities, with US officials stating the attacks were retaliation for drone strikes on oil facilities.
The US military said Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran, but all missiles were intercepted, while Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the strikes were against Iran-backed group targets in Iraq.
The report added that IRGC activities were described as coordinated with US Central Command, and that US forces said they will maintain high readiness and do not seek escalation but will respond to any aggression.
In energy markets, WTI, the US oil benchmark, rose about 4% to $81.60, extending its rebound from two-week lows near $77 as geopolitical escalation risk weighed on trading.
Latest closeWTI crude $81.23 ▼1.7%