Petrol prices rise 5p in a single week as Iran conflict pushes oil back above $100

UK petrol prices jumped approximately 5p per litre in just one week, a sharp move that reflects the broader damage the ongoing Iran conflict is inflicting on global energy markets. Brent crude climbed back above $100 per barrel on September 9, 2026, its highest level since July, as the war that began in late February shows no signs of cooling off.

For UK drivers, the math is painful. Pre-war petrol prices sat around 132p per litre. They’ve since surged to roughly 160p, a jump of about 28p per litre over the course of the seven-month conflict. Filling a typical 55-litre tank now costs around 15 pounds more than it did before the first airstrikes landed.

What’s driving the spike

The conflict traces back to February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli forces launched strikes against Iran. Since then, repeated cycles of military escalation have kept energy traders on edge and supply routes under threat.

The latest catalyst came in early September 2026, when US forces struck Iranian tankers. That move sent crude prices lurching upward, pushing Brent roughly 40% above its pre-war baseline of around $70 per barrel. Oil hadn’t touched triple digits since July, and traders had briefly hoped the worst of the price shock was behind them. It wasn’t.

The Strait of Hormuz sits at the center of the problem. Roughly 20% of the world’s oil and gas transits through this narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. When that route gets disrupted, or even just threatened, prices move fast.

Refined product shortages, particularly in diesel and jet fuel, have compounded the pain beyond crude oil itself.

The damage in numbers

The US is absorbing enormous costs. Average gasoline prices have surged to between $4.15 and $4.22 per gallon, representing a nearly 40% increase since hostilities began. Diesel has been hit even harder, approaching record levels near $5.90 per gallon. Estimates suggest the conflict has added more than $100 billion in extra fuel expenses for American consumers and businesses.

In the UK, motoring groups like the RAC have been tracking daily price movements as the war’s effects ripple through pump prices. The 5p weekly jump is notable not just for its size but for its speed, a reminder that oil markets can reprice consumer costs almost overnight when geopolitical risk flares.

The UK government faces its own set of headaches. Rising fuel costs have reportedly prompted new discussions around fuel duty policy, as officials weigh whether to adjust fiscal strategies to shield consumers from further pain.

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