Diesel Prices Hit Record $6 Amid Middle East Tensions
US diesel fuel prices have hit an all-time high of $6.06 per gallon, according to data released by AAA on September 11, 2026. This marks a 21-cent increase in just one week and a 60% surge compared to the same period last year.
The price hike is largely due to international energy market disruptions caused by Middle East conflict. Iran-backed Houthi forces have seized key Red Sea maritime locations, including the port of Mokha and Perim Island, which has expanded risks to oil shipping channels near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Surging crude oil prices above $100 per barrel combined with restricted international refining capacity have tightened fuel supplies. 'Refiners have already been maximizing the production of diesel. We simply can't get any more diesel out of the system,' said Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates.