CANADA VIBES NEWSROOM · MORNING EDITION
Sunday, July 19, 2026 · 8:00 AM ET

The United States and Iran exchanged fresh strikes on infrastructure and military targets over the weekend as their standoff over control of the Strait of Hormuz escalates. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out dozens of strikes on Iran Saturday to degrade its ability to attack vessels in the strait, hours after striking hundreds of targets across the country.

In response, Iranian forces launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on Sunday against the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. The escalation began Saturday when Iran fired on a commercial ship transiting the strait and declared it fully closed.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, jumped more than 4 percent on Monday to $85.92 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June. Analytics firm Kpler reports that crossings through the Strait of Hormuz have dropped by more than half compared to the previous week, with just six vessels tracked over a 12-hour span, down from 18 to 22 daily crossings earlier this month.

About a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes freely through the strait, raising concerns about global economic ripple effects, including pump prices in Canada, should the standoff continue.

What to watch

• Oil price movements and their potential impact on pump prices in Canada.
• The diplomatic response from Gulf states hit by Iranian strikes.
• Whether the standoff de-escalates or intensifies further in coming days.

Sources: Al Jazeera, NPR, CNBC.