The war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran took a new turn Wednesday as both sides escalated attacks on energy infrastructure, sending global oil prices surging to over $108 a barrel — another sharp jump that is filtering directly into prices at East County gas stations.

Israel reportedly struck an Iranian offshore natural gas field and killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an overnight strike. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, and an Iranian missile struck a major natural gas facility in Qatar — the latest in a campaign against Gulf energy infrastructure since the conflict began Feb. 28.

The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, is now up close to 50% since the start of the war. Gas prices in San Diego County have been climbing for 28 consecutive days, with the AAA-tracked countywide average reaching $5.64 per gallon as of Wednesday. Inland communities like Santee and El Cajon, where prices typically run higher than the countywide average, have seen additional pressure at the pump.

The Trump administration is looking for ways to increase oil supplies to bring prices down. On Wednesday, the Treasury Department eased sanctions on Venezuela, allowing U.S. companies to do business with the country's state oil company as a hedge against supply disruptions from the Gulf.

The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply travels — remains nearly impassable due to Iranian pressure. Economists warn that a prolonged conflict affecting Gulf energy infrastructure could push prices significantly higher before any relief materializes at the pump.