Oil prices rose by about $3 a barrel on Wednesday after joint strikes in Iraq by the United States and Saudi Arabia, and the interception of Iran's ballistic missiles aimed at US forces in the Middle East, while US crude inventories shrank. Brent futures increased by $3.15, or 3.8%, to $87.24 a barrel by 0520 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.73, or 3.4%, to $81.99 a barrel. "Renewed strength comes after the US said it intercepted a surprise attack on US troops," ING analysts said in a note, adding that the latest developments dampen expectations for a swift de-escalation in the Gulf. The United States and Saudi Arabia launched strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq on Wednesday, blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. The strikes came hours after the US military said it averted a surprise Iranian attack on US troops in the region. Just five commodity ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, where tanker traffic remains low. Oman presented Iran with a plan backed by Gulf states to manage the waterway, including collecting voluntary fees for its use, a Gulf source and a Western diplomat told Reuters on Tuesday. But Tehran has ruled out Oman's proposal for regional joint management of the waterway, which carried a fifth of global crude oil and natural gas shipments before the war, ruling out chances of success, a senior Iranian official said on Wednesday. "We believe Brent oil prices will continue to whipsaw in the $80-$100 per barrel range in the near term as the conflict ebbs and flows in the Middle East," said Suvro Sarkar, head of energy research at DBS Bank. The situation has escalated after US President Donald Trump signaled a return to diplomacy in the week, he added. "This series of stop-start negotiations means a complete removal of the Strait of Hormuz blockade is not achieved, and oil prices could see higher floor of around $80 per barrel even under a de-escalation scenario." US crude inventories fell by about 3.3 million barrels in the week ended July 24, market sources said on Tuesday, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute. Official inventory data from the Energy Information Administration is due later on Wednesday.
