Arabic version: سعر الديزل الأميركي يسجل مستوى قياسياً عند 5.85 دولارات للغالون

According to Al Jazeera, the national average US diesel price reached a record $5.85 per gallon on Friday, surpassing the previous peak set in June 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. The increase comes during the war with Iran and despite President Donald Trump’s repeated claim that the United States is in control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Diesel, which is mostly refined from crude oil in the US, powers heavy machinery, buses, trains and large trucks. Higher diesel costs are expected to raise transportation and production expenses for products including groceries. The record was set weeks before November’s congressional midterm elections, as Trump’s Republican Party seeks to retain control of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Gasoline prices have also risen, reaching $4.14 per gallon on Friday before the Labor Day holiday weekend. AAA said travelers were facing the highest gas prices ever for that time of year, citing continued volatility in the Strait of Hormuz that had pushed crude oil prices into the $90-per-barrel range. AAA said the national average had never been above $4 per gallon on Labor Day.

Tehran shut the Strait of Hormuz after US and Israeli strikes in February, sending oil and gas prices higher. Trump and his allies have said the US military now oversees oil passage through the waterway, with Trump sharing a post on Thursday that claimed 18 million barrels pass through daily. But the volume is difficult to verify because tankers under US protection turn off transponders. Iran says it still controls Hormuz, while suspected Iranian strikes on ships have continued almost daily.