Oil prices climb after Israeli strike in Qatar

Oil prices rose on Tuesday after the Israeli military said it carried out a strike targeting Hamas leadership in Qatar’s capital Doha, widening its years-long military operations across the Middle East. 

Brent crude futures hit a session high of $67.30 at 3.01pm GMT time, before settling at $66.42. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures shot to a session high of $63.58 before settling at $62.67.

Qatar said that the attack on the residential headquarters of several members of Hamas’ political bureau, was a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms” and presented a serious threat to national security. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read a statement Tuesday during the press briefing in which she said that unilaterally bombing inside Qatar does not advance Israel or America's goals.

Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani spoke with US President Donald Trump, who expressed his solidarity and assured that such a thing will not happen again on Qatari soil.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states, too, condemned the Israeli attack.

The oil benchmarks were already trading higher before the attacks, bolstered by a decision by producer group OPEC+ to opt for a modest output hike.