Oil Rises as Houthi Missile, Drone Strikes on Riyadh Escalate Middle East Tensions

Oil prices rose on September 21, 2026, after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis launched missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on September 19, escalating Middle East tensions amid a continued US-Iran stalemate. Brent crude futures climbed 81 cents, or 0.78%, to $104.68 a barrel by 2202 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 76 cents, or 0.76%, to $101.06 a barrel. The attack on Riyadh marks a direct strike on Saudi infrastructure and raises concerns over supply disruption from the world's largest crude exporter.