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Brent increases on Middle East war jitters, while WTI dips ahead of inventories report

Brent unrefined futures edged up in early trade on Thursday as Israeli tanks advanced into Gaza, while U.S. unrefined futures dipped on the prospect of swelling oil stocks.

Brent unrefined futures for August shipment rose 8 cents to $85.15 a barrel by 0008 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for June was down 27 cents, or 0.3%, to $81.30 per barrel.

A U.S. federal holiday, Juneteenth, kept trading activity subdued.

Israeli troops, backed by tanks, warplanes and drones, moved further into the Gaza Strip city of Rafah on Wednesday, killing eight people, residents and Palestinian medics said.

Intensifying war in the Middle East supports costs as a broader conflict could interfere with oil supply from the region.

WTI crude, meanwhile, slipped ahead of the U.S. federal government's. oil inventories report, which was postponed by a day due to the. legal holiday. The Energy Information Administration is due. to release last week's oil stocks data at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT). on Thursday.

An industry report release on Tuesday showed U.S. crude. stocks rose by 2.264 million barrels in the week ended June 14,. market sources said, mentioning American Petroleum Institute. figures, while gas stocks fell.

(source: Reuters)