“They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. The war continued to escalate on its 13th day as oil prices spiralled up again to 100 dollars (£75) per barrel, and stocks sank worldwide over fears that the conflict could drag on longer than hoped. The new exemption applies only to Russian oil already at sea. Iran has made clear it plans to keep up attacks on energy infrastructure across the region and use the effective closure of the strait as leverage against the United States and Israel. A fifth of the world’s traded oil flows through the waterway leading from the Persian Gulf towards the Indian Ocean.

Source: Irish Examiner March 13, 2026 18:51 UTC