Oil prices jump after U.S. air strike kills top Iranian commander - Reuters

Oil prices jump after U.S. air strike kills top Iranian commander - Reuters:

Oil prices jumped to the highest level in more than three months on Friday after the United States killed a top Iranian military commander in Iraq, sparking fears that escalating conflict in the region could disrupt global oil supplies.

An air strike at Baghdad airport killed Major-General Qassem Soleimani, architect of Iran’s spreading military influence in the Middle East, prompting Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to vow revenge.

Brent crude ended the session up 3.6% or $2.35 at $68.60 a barrel, off the session peak of $69.50, the highest level since the mid-September attack on Saudi oil facilities.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled up $1.87 or 3.1% at $63.05 a barrel. The session high was $64.09 a barrel, its highest since April 2019.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that Soleimani was planning to kill Americans.