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Oil Prices Are Spiking — Here's What It Means for Your Gas Tank and Grocery Bill

  Published July 17, 2026 Crude oil is trading near one-month highs this week, and if you've filled up your tank recently, you've probably already felt it. The culprit: an escalating conflict in the Middle East that's disrupting one of the world's most important oil shipping routes — and it's starting to show up at Canadian pumps and, eventually, on grocery store shelves. What's happening with oil prices West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the North American benchmark, has been trading around the $79–$80 per barrel range this week — up roughly 5% over the past month. Brent crude, the global benchmark that matters more for what Canadians pay at the pump, has been hovering near $85 per barrel, also near a one-month high. The spike traces back to renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and has intensified strikes, while Iran has responded with attacks on U.S. bases and threats to disrupt regional energy shipments further. ...

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Israel Intensifies Strikes across Gaza, Orders New Evacuations in North

 


Israeli strikes have intensified across Gaza on Tuesday, with some of the heaviest shelling in weeks, according to residents. The army has ordered fresh evacuations in the north of the strip, warning civilians that they are in a “dangerous combat zone” . The situation remains tense as air strikes and shelling continue in central and southern areas. Here are the key points:
  1. Intensified Attacks: Israeli forces have escalated their attacks, using both air strikes and tank shelling. Residents report almost non-stop bombardments in various areas of Gaza.

  2. Evacuation Orders: The Israeli army has urged residents in four zones near Beit Lahiya (on Gaza’s northern edge) to move to designated shelter areas. The military emphasizes its intention to act with “extreme force against terrorist infrastructure and subversive elements” in the region.

  3. Failed Ceasefire Efforts: Despite previous announcements of troop withdrawal from certain areas, efforts to reach a ceasefire have failed. Displaced Gazans find it challenging to return to their abandoned homes due to ongoing Israeli bombardments.

  4. Hamas’s Response: The armed wing of Islamic Jihad, allied with Hamas, claims responsibility for rocket attacks on two southern Israeli border towns. The conflict has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, and Hamas remains steadfast in its demands for a permanent end to the war and the return of displaced individuals to the north.

  5. Ongoing Conflict: The situation remains volatile, with thick black smoke rising in northern Gaza. Shelling continues in various areas, affecting schools and causing panic among displaced residents.

As the conflict persists, the region faces immense challenges in achieving peace and stability.

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