Oil rises as US orders diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating tensions

Crude benchmarks advanced on Thursday as renewed Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia heightened concern about disruption to regional oil flows. Brent added $1.29, or 1.2%, to reach $110.11 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate climbed 97 cents, or 1%, to $98.12. The Express Tribune reported that Washington is also preparing to relocate relatives of staff from several missions in the region.

Attacks included strikes at a Dammam civilian airport and a Saudi oil field, while shipping has faced at least 18 incidents over the past two weeks, according to Kpler data. LSEG analysts said the risks to tanker movements had spread beyond the Strait of Hormuz, while US crude inventories dropped 3.06 million barrels to 412.5 million last week. Distillate supplies moved the other way, rising 1.68 million barrels to 104.3 million.