15.09.2026 | Oil squeeze tightens as Iran-backed attacks cripple Hormuz escape routes
Source - Fox News
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The U.S. is choking off Iran’s oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. But the routes meant to shield other Gulf producers from that disruption are now coming under pressure themselves.
A drone attack last week badly damaged Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, a critical bypass that carries crude oil across the kingdom to the Red Sea. Repairs could leave it largely out of service for three to five weeks after it had been moving roughly 2.6 million to 4 million barrels per day in recent weeks.
At the same time, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized additional territory and strategic islands around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean — adding pressure to another major shipping route already battered by years of attacks.
And those repeated disruptions are already reaching American consumers.
U.S. diesel prices hit a record national average of $6.23 a gallon Monday, according to AAA, while regular gasoline averaged $4.32. Brent crude climbed as high as roughly $110 a barrel during the day.
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