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Oil combines gains in the middle of issues of worsening Middle East crisis

Oil costs held constant in early Asian trading on Thursday after gaining a dollar a barrel in the prior session as investors braced for a worsening of the Middle East crisis, possibly including Iran, the thirdlargest oil producer in OPEC.

Brent crude futures advanced by 4 cents to $90.52 a. barrel by 0047 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude. futures were up 2 cents at $86.24 a barrel.

Both contracts rose more than 1% in the previous session after. three boys of a Hamas leader were killed in an Israeli airstrike. in Gaza, feeding worries that ceasefire talks in between the 2. sides may stall. Previously today, Israel and Hamas began a. fresh round of ceasefire talks in their more than six-month-old. Gaza war however those talks have actually yielded no agreement.

The area is on alert for possible Iranian. retaliation over a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran's. embassy in Syria at the start of the month. A Bloomberg report. on Wednesday said the U.S. and its allies believe major rocket. or drone strikes by Iran or its proxies against Israel are. impending.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has informed Israeli. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that the United States will stand. with Israel versus any dangers by Iran, the U.S. State. Department stated later Wednesday.

The marketplace has ended up being progressively worried that the. Israel-Hamas war might intensify throughout the Middle East, putting. oil supply at danger, ANZ analyst Daniel Hynes stated.

Oil traders will also be watching out for a regular monthly oil. market report from the Company of the Petroleum Exporting. Nations (OPEC) due to be released later Thursday, and the. International Energy Firm's oil market report due on Friday.

(source: Reuters)