US heating oil prices rose above $4.63 per gallon, moving back toward their record high as refineries grapple with increasingly constrained refined-product supplies. The Middle East war continued to escalate as Iranian-backed Houthis launched strikes on Saudi energy facilities, including the Jazan oil refinery. This comes on top of ongoing disruptions and reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries are further limiting global diesel supplies, adding to the impact of Moscow’s existing export restrictions. Meanwhile, demand could increase as seasonal agricultural activity picks up, while the approaching winter heating season could add to pressure on distillate supplies. US refineries were already operating at 98% of capacity in the week ended August 28, leaving limited room to further increase distillate production. EIA data also showed that US distillate fuel stocks were 14% below the five-year average in late August.