UK petrol prices jump 5p as Iran war pushes oil to $100

Fuel prices across the United Kingdom have climbed sharply, with a litre of unleaded petrol now costing 167.17p, marking the largest weekly increase since April. Meanwhile, diesel has also risen by 5p, pushing the price to 188.63p per litre, according to motoring organisation data.

Energy costs have soared since the war between the US-Israel and Iran broke out at the end of February. The ongoing hostilities have severely disrupted crude oil supplies across the Middle East, which serves as a crucial ingredient for producing petrol and diesel.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

As hostilities escalated further, the price of Brent crude—the global benchmark for oil—returned to $100 a barrel for the first time since July. On Tuesday, US forces struck five Iranian tankers after Tehran targeted one of its warships, while Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement also launched attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.

Although Brent prices remain some distance away from the $100-plus peak of $120 hit in April, they are still well above the $70 mark recorded before the conflict began. RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis noted that the latest fuel price surge demonstrates just how vulnerable UK drivers can be to events occurring thousands of miles away.