Brent Crude Breaks $100 Barrier as Red Sea Attacks Escalate

The sharp rise in oil benchmarks follows a pattern of intense volatility, with Brent and West Texas Intermediate futures gaining 19% and 16% respectively over the past five sessions. Analysts warn that the market has moved beyond pricing in geopolitical posturing and is now grappling with the physical resilience of oil flows. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which previously accounted for 12% of global seaborne oil, has become a critical pressure point as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dwindles.

Energy markets are operating with thinner buffers than at the onset of the conflict, as U.S. crude inventories have plummeted to their lowest levels since the mid-1980s. With fewer emergency reserves available and limited capacity to ramp up production, the global supply chain remains vulnerable. Adding to the instability, Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure in the Black Sea have further compromised flows from Kazakhstan, compounding the pressure on global exports.

President Trump signaled a potential escalation, vowing major military consequences for Iran and Houthi forces should further maritime attacks occur. While some experts note that the Houthis lack the strategic depth of state-backed actors, the logistical reality of rerouted vessels and increased freight costs suggests that the upward trajectory for crude prices is unlikely to reverse while these key maritime corridors remain under direct threat.