traded higher on Wednesday morning after the US forces launched new strikes against Iranian targets in response to the downing of an American helicopter.
At 9.23 am on Wednesday, August Brent oil futures were at $92.05, up by 0.66 per cent, and July crude oil futures on WTI (West Texas Intermediate) were at $88.71, up by 0.58 per cent.
June crude oil futures were trading at ₹8496 on during the initial hour of trading on Wednesday against the previous close of ₹8421, up by 0.89 per cent, and July futures were trading at ₹8365 against the previous close of ₹8317, up by 0.58 per cent.
In a press release on Tuesday, the US Central Command said: “US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed self-defence strikes against Iran, June 9, at the Commander in Chief’s direction in response to yesterday’s downing of a US Army Apache helicopter. CENTCOM forces struck Iranian air defence, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz with precision munitions from US Air Force and Navy fighter jets. The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters. US forces remain vigilant and postured to defend against unjustified Iranian aggression.”
In a post on the social media platform Truth Social earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said: “I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz. There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
In a post on X, Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of Iran, said: “Despite its defeats on the battlefield, the US opted to test our determination. Our Powerful Armed Forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered. Leave our region if you want to be safe. History of the Persian Gulf has many chapters on dire fates of intruding outsiders.”