Iran-U.S. tensions disrupt Hormuz and Red Sea shipping, pushing oil past $100 per barrel

According to WION, escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities have disrupted maritime traffic at the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-al-Mandeb — two critical chokepoints controlling nearly 30% of global seaborne oil trade — with crude prices exceeding $100 per barrel as of September 2026. WION reports that simultaneous blockade threats at both passages have created secondary transport vulnerabilities for energy exporters, particularly those relying on Saudi Arabia's alternative pipeline infrastructure. U.S. gas prices and global energy costs face direct upward pressure from the supply disruption, the outlet reports. Hormuz alone handles roughly 21% of global petroleum transit, making any prolonged closure a systemic risk to worldwide energy markets.