US military strikes Iranian oil tanker, triggering geopolitical risks as Brent crude nears $97 mark

According to information from Zhihu Finance APP, following a US military strike on Iranian oil tankers and Iran's announcement of a new no-sail zone outside the Strait of Hormuz, concerns have intensified in the market over long-term disruptions to vital energy transport routes, prompting a surge in international oil prices.

Brent crude oil opened with a rise of up to 0.8%, approaching the $97 per barrel mark; WTI crude traded near $92 per barrel. The US stated that it carried out a strike on three Iranian oil tankers over the weekend, sinking one of them as retaliation for Iran's ballistic missile attack on a US Navy warship.

According to reports, Iran's top security official responded by saying that in the coming days, a new no-sail zone will be delineated outside the Strait of Hormuz, extending from the starting point of the US blockade to parts of the Persian Gulf. Iran also claimed to have struck three tankers, although this has not been independently confirmed.

Previously, after a brief period of relative calm, the US and Iran again exchanged fire, leading to a sharp increase in crude oil prices last week. Amid ongoing Middle East tensions and the Russia-Iran conflict, Brent crude has surged nearly 60% this year, with refined oil products such as diesel seeing even steeper gains.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that the US military presence in the Gulf region will not diminish, involving both the blockade aimed at halting Iranian oil exports and the provision of safe passage for other commercial vessels. Wright revealed last week that millions of barrels of crude oil are shipped daily through the Strait of Hormuz.