Drivers have been warned that surging global oil prices may drive up fuel costs across the UK. Forecourts nationwide are already seeing petrol pumps run low following the ongoing conflict in Iran and queues of cars racing to beat the surge.
The US and Israel conducted extensive strikes on Saturday, February 28, hitting Iran's missile infrastructure, military installations and senior commanders. The response has engulfed the Middle East following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during these strikes.
Although the fighting is taking place thousands of miles away, the repercussions could "inevitably" impact British wallets, experts have claimed. Disruption to tanker traffic in the Middle East has triggered a surge in oil prices, which will significantly affect wholesale fuel costs.
AA president Edmund King said that much of the rise in oil prices since the war began was "being factored in by market traders" beforehand. Despite emphasising that there was "no need for drivers to break their refuelling routine", pictures have been taken across the UK showing motorists emptying forecourts.
Pump prices at UK petrol stations had already been climbing slightly in recent days to better mirror wholesale costs. Mr King predicted that petrol prices could climb back to levels last seen at the beginning of 2026, when a litre of petrol averaged 135.7p, compared with as little as 131.9p last month, reports the Express.
These lengthy queues have been reported at Costco in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and at Tesco in South Queensferry, Scotland, which ran out of unleaded. The queues follow oil prices surging by 13 per cent on Monday amid the continuing conflict in the Middle East.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "Whilst the conflict in the Middle East undoubtedly has the potential to push up pump prices in the UK, it's not a certainty. The oil price would have to rise significantly and stay that way for some time to have a dramatic effect."
Drivers can keep an eye on the cheapest petrol prices using the free RAC 'Fuel Watch' tracker. The tool compares major retailers such as Asda, Costco, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons, alongside numerous smaller brands, ensuring motorists can find the best value option when they need to fill up.
The Prime Minister's official spokesperson confirmed that the Government is "monitoring the situation closely". They added: "The UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies.
"The Energy Secretary (Ed Miliband) spoke to the executive director of the International Energy Agency (Dr Fatih Birol) over the weekend. There are currently no reported impacts on the UK fuel supply. DESNZ (the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) will continue to monitor UK fuel stocks and sales."
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.