Khaberni - Oil prices rose on Monday by more than eight percent to their highest levels in months, with Iran and Israel escalating their attacks in the Middle East, damaging oil tankers and disrupting shipping in the crude-producing region.
Brent crude futures reached $82.37 a barrel, and were at $79.34, up $6.47 or 8.88 percent, by 23:05 GMT.
West Texas Intermediate crude jumped $5.36, or eight percent, to $72.38 a barrel after recording a high of $75.33 earlier.
Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Iran on Sunday, and Tehran responded with more missiles, a day after the death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, exacerbating the uncertainty in the Middle East and the global economy.
Shipping sources and officials said on Sunday that at least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one sailor died in response to American and Israeli strikes.
