Brent crude closes above $101 after US destroys five Iranian oil tankers

Brent crude settled at $101.21 a barrel, a 3.4% single-session gain, after US Central Command confirmed destroying five IRGC-linked oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island. CENTCOM said tanker crews were told to abandon their vessels before the strikes.

Why this matters. Direct US strikes on Iranian tankers mark an escalation from interdiction to destruction of Iranian oil assets, raising the risk of further supply disruption and price spikes tied to Strait of Hormuz traffic.