US Gas Prices Hit $4 Per Gallon Amid Iran Conflict

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline reached $4.00 on Tuesday, according to data from the American Automobile Association. The last time the average hit that level was in August, when prices spiked during the summer driving season.

The surge follows a series of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian targets and Tehran's retaliatory missile attacks on American bases in Iraq. The escalating conflict has rattled global energy markets, with benchmark U.S. crude oil trading near $84 per barrel and international Brent crude exceeding $90 per barrel.

Analysts say the price at the pump could climb further if the conflict disrupts oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for about 20% of global oil consumption. Iran has previously threatened to close the strait in response to U.S. pressure.

The $4 average masks wide regional differences. Drivers on the West Coast, particularly in California and Hawaii, are paying well above the national figure, while states in the Gulf Coast region, including Texas and Louisiana, are seeing prices closer to $3.50 per gallon.

The last time gas prices were this high, the White House released oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to cool the market. That option remains on the table, but officials have not announced any new measures as of Wednesday.