Crude prices extended gains after reports that the U.S. military struck Iranian oil carriers and other targets near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed as much as 1.4% intraday to $94.33 a barrel on September 8, following a 1.7% gain in the previous session, while Brent traded near $98. Iran warned of possible further attacks on ships, and Iranian state television, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said tanker crews near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain were told to evacuate immediately. The market is also monitoring continued attacks on Middle East energy infrastructure, including a strike by the Iran-backed Houthi militia on facilities in southern Saudi Arabia that forced some sites to halt operations. About 20% of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the Iran war. Some cargoes continue to move, but shipping risks persist, with some tankers disabling their Automatic Identification System (AIS) to avoid attacks.