Brent climbs to more than 7-year high on Mideast tensions

Oil prices rose more than $1 on Tuesday to a more than seven-year high on worries about possible supply disruptions after Yemen’s Houthi group attacked the United Arab Emirates, escalating hostilities between the Iran-aligned group and a Saudi Arabian-led coalition.

The “new geopolitical tension added to ongoing signs of tightness across the market,” ANZ Research analyst said in a note, according to Reuters.

Brent crude futures rose 85 cents, or 1%, to $87.33 a barrel by 0525 GMT, after earlier hitting a peak of $87.55, their highest since Oct. 29, 2014.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures jumped $1.13, or 1.4%, from Friday’s settlement to a more than two-month high of $84.95 a barrel.

Trade on Monday was subdued as it was a U.S. public holiday.

After launching drone and missile strikes which set off explosions in fuel trucks and killed three people, the Houthi movement warned it could target more facilities, while the UAE said it reserved the right to “respond to these terrorist attacks”.

UAE oil firm ADNOC said it had activated business continuity plans to ensure uninterrupted supply of products to its local and international customers after an incident at its Mussafah fuel depot.