U.S. Central Command

Brent crude futures for December delivery settle at $117.64 a barrel, a six‑month peak, while West Texas Intermediate closes at $104.12, both rising over 2% on 31 Oct. Prices have surged 13.6% for Brent and 15.2% for WTI during October. Iran’s IRGC reports three vessels struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a claim the U.S. Central Command rejects, and an unidentified projectile has hit a tanker there. Europe prepares to release 42 million barrels of strategic reserves, and Saudi Aramco offers discounted spot cargoes to European buyers as traders brace for volatility ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy says four oil tankers caught fire after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz, with a fourth tanker hit later on Friday, 30 Oct. The Guards say the ships used unauthorized routes and ignored warnings; one tanker carried more than 2 million barrels of crude. UK Maritime Trade Operations separately reported a tanker struck by a projectile about 40 nautical miles south of Lavan Island, with its crew safe. Reuters could not verify Iran's statements, and the US military did not immediately confirm them.