U.S. crude oil futures were slightly lower Sunday as traders breathed a sigh of relief after Israel fended off a large-scale air assault by Iran and the U.S. emphasized it wants to avoid a wider war in the Middle East.
The West Texas Intermediate contract for May lost 34 cents to $85.32 a barrel as trading began Sunday evening. June Brent futures eased slightly to $90.18 a barrel. U.S. crude closed at $85.66 a barrel Friday, while the global benchmark settled at $90.45. WTI futures began the year around $71 a barrel.
Though significant in scale, the Iranian attack caused little actual damage in Israel. The Nevatim Air Force Base in southern Israel suffered slight damage and a 10-year-old girl suffered severe injuries, according Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari.
“The volley of aerial armaments was so easily plucked out of the sky that the whole thing appears well-planned to make a statement without engendering further conflict with Israel,” said John Kilduff, energy expert and founding partner at Again Capital.
The U.S. and Iran both seemed determined to avoid further escalation. Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad but the U.S. will not participate in offensive operations against Iran, a senior administration official told NBC News.
U.S. National Security spokesperson John Kirby told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday that Biden does not want a wider with Iran. “The coming hours and days will tell us a lot,” Kirby said