May 5 (Reuters) – U.S. crude eased more than 1% on Tuesday as the market weighed the impact of Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and news that a U.S.-flagged ship operated by Maersk had transited the strait accompanied by U.S. military.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate was at $104.88 a barrel, down $1.54, or 1.5%, by 2236 GMT.
Maersk said the Alliance Fairfax, a U.S.-flagged vehicle carrier operated by its Farrell Lines unit, exited the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz accompanied by U.S. military assets on Monday, easing some immediate supply disruption fears.
American forces are actively assisting efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said on X on Monday.
Oil prices had jumped more than 6% on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump launched a new operation aimed at reopening Hormuz to shipping, prompting Iran to retaliate in a bid to maintain its grip on the vital energy transit route.
Several commercial vessels were reportedly struck, while a UAE oil port was set ablaze after an Iranian strike as Trump’s attempt to use the U.S. Navy to free up shipping provoked the war’s biggest escalation since a ceasefire was declared four weeks ago.
(Reporting by Anushree Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Nia Williams and Himani Sarkar)
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