The initial round of Israeli attacks sent oil prices 7 percent higher on Friday. Still, at about $74 a barrel, Brent crude remains below the $80 average for 2024, the Deutsche Bank analysts wrote. The market continued to waver, though, and by Monday, oil prices had fallen about 3 percent.

The greatest risk the oil markets face is that Iran retaliates against Israel airstrikes by closing the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical to global energy shipments.

The dramatic escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran caused a spike in the price of crude and raised fears among oil traders about disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital waterways.