Israel hits Iran targets as Trump warns Netanyahu
Israel launched new strikes on military targets in central and western Iran on Monday following a weekend of escalating hostilities. The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from further attacks to protect ongoing peace negotiations with Tehran. Brent crude oil prices rose above 96 dollars a barrel as the regional conflict continues to disrupt shipping lanes.
Israel launched airstrikes against military targets in Iran on Monday, defying direct warnings from President Donald Trump to halt regional escalations. The strikes followed a weekend of retaliatory missile fire and renewed conflict in Lebanon, driving Brent Crude Oil prices up more than 3% to over $96 a barrel. Investors are monitoring the risk of a broader conflict that could permanently disrupt energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries one-fifth of the world's oil.
### Oil Markets React to Escalation Brent Crude Oil rose more than 3% in early trading on Monday, with futures climbing back above $96 a barrel. The price spike followed reports from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards that Israel used air-launched ballistic missiles to hit targets inside Iran. This volatility reflects fears that the current stalemate, which has seen Tehran block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, could intensify.
