Story summary
Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel on Wednesday after a series of attacks in the Middle East, with Brent crude futures trading at $99.93 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude at $94.52 a barrel. The price hike comes as tensions between the US and Iran continue to escalate, with the US striking five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday and Iran launching missiles at US targets in Jordan.
Saudi Arabia reported that its energy infrastructure was attacked by the Houthis, causing temporary pauses in operations and injuring 73 civilians. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter, and the attacks have raised concerns about the security of global oil supplies.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a key concern, with just four ships passing through the waterway on Saturday and six on Sunday. Before the war, the strait carried more than 20% of the world's energy supply as oil was shipped to ports around the globe.
In response to the attacks, the US Central Command said it destroyed five Iranian tankers, warning crews to abandon ship before striking. Iran has launched missiles at US targets in Jordan and warned tankers near Kuwait and Bahrain to evacuate.
The price of oil has been rising steadily since the start of the Iran war on February 28, with Brent crude surging as high as $126.41 a barrel on April 30. The global price of oil topped $100 a barrel for the first time since July, adding to uncertainty over future supply.
Meanwhile, a gallon of regular gasoline averaged $4.15 in the US on Tuesday, up 26% from a year ago.
Written for “Escalating Middle East Conflict” on 2026-09-09,
grounded in this article and the 74 other(s) covering the same event.
U.S. military destroys 5 Iranian oil tankers.
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military → destroy → tankers
And, the Smithsonian head resigns
Good morning.
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head → resign → ?
You're reading the Up First newsletter.
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You → read → newsletter
Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
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you → subscribe → day
U.S. Central Command announced that it destroyed five Iranian oil carriers in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran's Kharg Island yesterday.
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it → announce → Island
In retaliation, Iran targeted U.S. troops stationed at an air base in Jordan.
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Iran → target → Jordan
Since Saturday, the U.S. has struck eight Iranian crude tankers as part of its efforts to weaken Iran's economic lifeline.
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U.S. → strike → lifeline
Turmoil from this war has pushed Brent crude oil prices back above $100 a barrel today.
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Turmoil → push → 100
The U.S.' strategy in the region is unclear, as there's little discussion around the future of U.S. military presence there, NPR's Aya Batrawy tells Up First.
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Batrawy → be → presence
Reducing troop levels could signal weakness to Iran and adversaries like Russia and China.
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Reducing → reduce → Russia
Gulf states initially established U.S. bases as a deterrent, but they have instead been targeted by Iran, prompting Arab allies to seek stronger defense ties with other countries.
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they → establish → countries
The Pentagon has not disclosed the extent of damage to U.S. bases, and the Trump administration urged satellite companies to censor images over the Gulf, according to Batrawy.
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administration → disclose → Batrawy
The United Kingdom announced a ban on imports from Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, accusing Israeli settlers of being "terrorists" who engage in "ethnic cleansing" against Palestinians.
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who → announce → Palestinians
The move aims to pressure Israel over settlement expansion, which the U.K. argues undermines the two-state solution.
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U.K. → aim → solution
Canada and France have also imposed sanctions, intensifying international pressure on Israel.
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Canada → impose → Israel
Israel retaliated quickly with the announcement of the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem.
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Israel → retaliate → Jerusalem
The ban is unlikely to significantly affect Israel's economy because most exports from the West Bank consist of agricultural products, and Israel's total agricultural exports to the U.K. are low, according to NPR's Carrie Kahn.
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exports → affect → Kahn
If the entire European Union, which is Israel's top trading partner, joins in imposing sanctions, it could have severe consequences, according to Eran Yashiv, an economist at Tel Aviv University.
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it → join → University
Suleiman Dawabsha, the chairman of the Palestinian village of Duma, tells Kahn that the decisions hold substantial meaning for the Palestinians in the West Bank, yet he doubts that Israel will make any changes because the government there doesn't respect international law.
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government → tell → law
Smithsonian Institution head Lonnie G. Bunch announced yesterday that he would step down from his role at the end of the year.
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he → announce → year
Bunch has spent nearly four decades with the organization, rising through the ranks starting as a curator before taking over the top position in 2019 and making history as the first African American and the first historian to lead the Smithsonian.
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Bunch → spend → Smithsonian
His retirement announcement comes after more than a year of criticism from President Trump about the Smithsonian.
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announcement → come → Smithsonian
In August 2025, the president called for a comprehensive internal review of eight Smithsonian museums and directed them to "celebrate American exceptionalism."
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president → call → exceptionalism
In July 2026, the Trump administration accused the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History of "extreme political activism."
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administration → accuse → activism
- 🎧 Bunch has denied any insinuation that his departure was influenced by pressure from Trump, NPR's Andrew Limbong says.
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Limbong → deny → Trump
Trump and his administration have attempted to showcase the Smithsonian as a group of radical activists.
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Trump → attempt → activists
Bunch said that one of his goals in the head role was to encourage Americans to embrace ambiguity and recognize that America is a complicated, multifaceted nation.
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America → say → ambiguity
During his time as the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, he dedicated more than a decade to developing the museum's collection.
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he → found → collection
Limbong says that the museum will be part of his lasting legacy.
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museum → say → legacy
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
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it → live → America
Copper peptides, known as GHK-Copper or simply GHK-Cu, are one of the latest social media skin care hacks.
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peptides → know → hacks
People have gone from smearing the compound on their faces to using injections, in hopes of achieving firmer, wrinkle-free skin and other anti-aging benefits.
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People → go → skin
GHK-Cu isn't an approved drug, but there is considerable scientific research behind it.
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Cu → be → it
No published human studies show that injectable forms of the peptides are safe and effective.
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forms → publish → peptides
The risks are compounded by the fact that many people source these injectables from a grey market of online sellers.
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people → compound → sellers
Here's what we know about the substance:
- 💉 GHK-Cu has been found to stimulate collagen production, promote the growth of new blood vessels, and have anti-inflammatory effects, but these findings are generally from small trials using it as a serum or cream.
- 💉 GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring molecule, making it challenging for drug companies to patent it without developing a unique version and conducting human trials.
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companies → know → trials
- 💉 Dermatologists are advising patients to refrain from injecting the substance, as the risks include overloading the body with excessive copper or triggering a dangerous immune reaction.
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risks → advise → reaction
The Baby-Sitters Club series has influenced generations of readers for four decades.
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series → influence → decades
Author Ann M. Martin created characters like Claudia, one of the first Asian-American characters in mainstream culture, and Stacey, who lives with diabetes.
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who → create → diabetes
Over the years, Martin has introduced more characters as the series about a group of middle schoolers starting a babysitting business has grown.
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series → introduce → business
…and 9 more, not listed.
