Iran War Downs Two US Planes as Oil Surges to $109

Two U.S. Air Force combat planes went down Friday — an F-15 fighter jet inside Iran and a second aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz — as the five-week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran intensified across the Middle East, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity.

Brent crude oil surged nearly 8 percent Friday to roughly $109 per barrel, driven by Iranian drone strikes on Kuwait's largest oil refinery and Iran's continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries a significant share of the world's oil and natural gas. The price spike has already pushed up gasoline and fertilizer costs nationally.

For Treasure Coast residents, the economic shock wave is direct. Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties depend on affordable fuel for agriculture, fishing, and the daily commutes of a workforce spread across three counties. Fertilizer price increases hit the region's citrus and cattle operations hardest, and pump prices that track Brent crude have climbed steadily since the war began five weeks ago.

The escalation Friday was broad. Kuwait's Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery caught fire after an Iranian drone attack. Saudi Arabia intercepted roughly a dozen drones. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates reported a fire at the Habshan gas facility from debris of an intercepted strike. Israel's Health Ministry said 148 people were treated in the prior 24 hours, bringing total wartime casualties to 6,594 since fighting began.

The U.S. struck one of Iran's largest bridges — connecting Tehran and Karaj — killing at least 13 people, Iranian state media reported. President Trump celebrated the strike on social media and threatened to hit Iranian power and desalination plants by next week if Iran does not reopen the strait. International law expert Gabor Rona said the warning constitutes a threat to commit war crimes under both international and U.S. law.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded: "Striking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not compel Iranians to surrender."

Forty nations convened virtually Thursday at Britain's request to discuss reopening the strait diplomatically. Traffic through the waterway has plunged from 150 vessels a day to between 10 and 20, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. No agreement was reached. French President Emmanuel Macron called the idea of using military force to reopen the passage "unrealistic." U.S. allies have repeatedly said they will not join the fighting.

What This Means for the Treasure Coast

Gas prices across Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties are likely to continue climbing as long as the strait remains blocked and crude trades above $100 per barrel. Fertilizer costs — already elevated — threaten margins for Treasure Coast growers heading into summer planting. Residents should also watch for potential FEMA resource reallocation if the conflict widens, which could affect federal disaster preparedness funding ahead of the June 1 start of Atlantic hurricane season.

Military planners from the 40-nation coalition are set to meet next week to discuss defensive options for securing the strait once fighting stops.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.