Oil prices move higher in recent sessions as hostilities in the Middle East raise concerns about potential disruptions to crude and refined-product supply routes. Across several days of reporting, Bloomberg links the market’s gains to an escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran, including US strikes and Iranian responses that involve threats to shipping and energy infrastructure. The reports describe actions that heighten uncertainty around passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil flows. On July 15–16, oil holds onto and then extends a winning streak as the US carries out additional strikes on Iran, framed as efforts to improve security for shipping through the strait. On July 17, prices continue a weekly advance, with the broader conflict cited as a driver of supply-risk expectations. By July 20, oil maintains gains as fighting continues, with additional concerns raised by Yemen’s Houthi militants, who threaten to block or disrupt Saudi maritime traffic in the Red Sea. One report also points to attacks involving vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and an attack on a key oil facility in Kuwait as factors contributing to price strength.