Oil rises on supply concerns as Houthis attack Saudi Arabia

By SINGAPORE: Oil prices climbed in early trade on Friday on supply concerns after Yemen's Houthis stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia, ​on track for a fourth straight monthly gain and the steepest ‌since July. Brent crude futures rose 86 cents, or 0.75%, to $115.74 a barrel as of 0122 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 72 cents, or 0.71%, to $102.72. For the month, ​Brent was on course to finish nearly 14% higher, while WTI was ​heading for a 15% jump to close above $100 for the first ⁠time since April. On Thursday, the Houthis said they had attacked several sites in Saudi ​Arabia, including its largest oil refinery, Ras Tanura, the Rabigh refinery and an ​Aramco facility in Abqaiq, while a Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted a cruise missile launched by the Houthis towards the kingdom's western region. 'Continued kinetic action around the Strait of Hormuz amidst ​doubts of a viable diplomatic pathway are keeping oil prices elevated in ​expectation of an escalation of the conflict in coming weeks,' said MST Marquee Head of Energy ‌Research ⁠Saul Kavonic. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Vice President JD Vance had reached out to Iran to help the country get medical supplies, after US media reported Vance had written to Tehran's top security official to revive peace ​talks. Iran has received a ​letter from Vance ⁠but it has not responded to it yet, the country's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, while adding that Tehran wants ​the US to meet its conditions and 'any position that contradicts ​this framework ⁠is unacceptable.' Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said three tankers hit sea mines, exploded and caught fire while attempting to use an unauthorised route south of the Strait of Hormuz. Amid ⁠security concerns ​in the region, ExxonMobil and Chevron have cancelled plans ​for their executives to travel to the United Arab Emirates' biggest oil show next week, two ​sources familiar with the developments told Reuters.