Crude Oil, Gas Prices Jump After US Airstrike Kills Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A deadly airstrike halfway around the world that killed a top Iranian military official is leading to higher gas prices in Maryland and beyond, AAA Mid-Atlantic said Friday.
Crude oil prices spiked more than $2 per barrel in the wake of the strike, which killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of an elite military force in that country, according to AAA, and the average price of a gallon of gas in Maryland is up three cents from last week.
"Like motorists, AAA is watching the current situation in the Middle East in terms of potential short- and long-term impacts to crude oil and gasoline prices. At this point is [sic] too soon to speculate," AAA spokesperson Ragina Ali said in a statement.
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AAA said U.S. drivers can now expect to pay $2.58 per gallon, while prices in Maryland are slightly lower at $2.51 per gallon. A gallon of gas costs an average of $2.48 per gallon in Baltimore.
The jump is also due in part to a spike in year-end holiday travel, AAA said.