By Anadolu Agency
September 18, 2026 7:37 amOil prices fell on Friday as Saudi Arabia shifted to other export routes and the possibility of restoring disrupted supplies allayed some worries about how the escalating US-Iran war would affect world oil flows.
International benchmark Brent crude futures for November delivery traded at $102.48 a barrel at 10.46 a.m. local time (0746 GMT), down 2.23% from the previous close of $104.82.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for October delivery decreased 2.02% to $99.85 a barrel from $101.91.
Markets were supported by expectations that Saudi Arabia could partially restore flows through its East-West pipeline, which was damaged in drone attacks last week.
The pipeline normally transports crude to Yanbu on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
The country has also been offering additional crude cargoes to Asian refiners through ship-to-ship transfers off Oman’s Sohar port, providing an alternative export route and easing concerns over lost volumes.
However, concerns over oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz persist.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said Thursday that it had struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker after the vessel attempted what it described as an “illegal passage” through the waterway, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Developments in the Middle East remain a key focus for oil markets, while US President Donald Trump’s latest comments on Iran have added to uncertainty over the conflict.
The US president said Thursday that he was approaching a critical decision on whether to resume major military attacks against Iran.
“I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It’s a big decision. Anything could happen with me,” Trump told Axios.
Trump is expected to meet next Tuesday with the leaders of six Gulf countries — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
We use cookies on our website to give you a better experience, improve performance, and for analytics. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy By clicking “Accept” you agree to our use of cookies.
Read More