Oil prices hit wartime peak, with Brent crude touching $126 a barrel

Oil prices surged to a wartime high Thursday, with Brent crude, the international benchmark, topping $126 a barrel as concerns grew that the Iran war will drag on, tightening global energy supplies. Gasoline prices also reached a new high since the Middle East conflict began on Feb. 28, with the average U.S. cost jumping to $4.30 a gallon, according to AAA. That represents the highest prices at the pump since July 2022. …