Retaliatory U.S. strikes on Iranian vessels push Murban crude past $110

U.S. Navy forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz early on Wednesday, 9 September, triggering a sharp increase in global energy prices and heightening security risks in the world’s most critical maritime chokepoint. The strikes were a direct response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeting a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the previous 48 hours, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Oil Prices Surge Amid Maritime Escalation Energy markets reacted immediately to the military action in early Asian trade on Wednesday. Brent crude rose nearly 1% to $97.92, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed 1.40% to $94.33. Murban crude, the Gulf’s regional benchmark, saw the most significant volatility, jumping 3.75% to reach $110.8, a $4.00 increase per barrel. The price spike follows a Reuters report on Monday, 7 September, which noted that Brent crude had already reached its highest level since late July due to ongoing disruptions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the strategic shift in Washington’s response, stating that Iranian attempts to strike U.S. naval assets would result in the systematic destruction of Iran's oil export capacity. "Every time they try to do that, they're going to lose crude oil tankers," Rubio said on Wednesday. CENTCOM confirmed that despite the recent IRGC missile attacks, no American personnel were harmed and the targeted warship remained operational. The…