How the high gas prices are tied to the U.S. and Israel strikes on Iran

(The Petro-Can sign reflects the high gas prices that Stittsville residents can find throughout the community.)

Frustrated with rising gas prices? Not sure what’s driving them up? You may be surprised to find it’s related to the recent strikes on Iran from the United States and Israel.

Since the beginning of March, gas prices in Ottawa have been on the rise. According to GasBuddy, a company that keeps track of Canadian and U.S. gas prices, the average price of gas in the Ottawa-Gatineau area has increased by 41.7 cents within the last month.

Roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply is transported through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and Oman. It’s the busiest channel for shipping oil in the world, and the only exit for oil and liquefied natural gas suppliers such as Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Over the last couple of weeks, Iran has been blocking the Strait of Hormuz, significantly reducing the number of ships passing through.

On February 28^th, 2026, Iran faced the first of many attacks from the U.S. and Israel. Within the first week of these attacks, over 1,000 people were killed in Iran. Highly notable attacks include the bombing of a girl’s elementary school in Minab that killed at least 165 people on February 28^th, and airstrikes on oil depots in Tehran on March 8^th which triggered “black rain” and thick, toxic smoke clouds the next day. Exposure to these chemicals will likely cause significant long-term health impacts to those in Tehran.

In response to the attacks, Iran began blocking the Strait of Hormuz in hopes of the U.S. and Israel backing down. The strait being blocked makes oil harder to ship and receive, making it more valuable on a global scale and causing our gas prices to soar.

Gas is now one of the most expensive needs of Canadians. You might even find gas prices in Stittsville being more expensive than stations in Ottawa, which can be common in smaller communities that don’t get as much traffic. You can use GasBuddy to find the cheapest gas station near you at any time in Stittsville. You’ll find that gas tends to be cheaper at night due to low demand and most expensive during the morning for the high traffic.

While the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz will keep our gas prices high, it’s a strong move from Iran. We can hope the block will lead to the U.S. and Israel ending their strikes.