(Photo: Reuters)The impact of the war in the Middle East rippled further through global energy markets on Thursday, with Asian countries taking more measures to shore up supplies. Refiners in China and Japan that depend on Middle East oil halted fuel exports to protect domestic supplies. The cost of shipping oil out of the United States rose to a record as buyers searched for alternative sources of crude. Iranian state media said the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy struck a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf. Taiwan said it has secured LNG supplies for April from regions outside the Middle East, while Thailand was seeking extra shipments.

Source: Bangkok Post March 05, 2026 14:37 UTC