according to the Financial Times of the UK, the United States is not considering releasing oil from its strategic petroleum reserves, indicating that Washington believes the rise in oil prices will be limited after Iran launches an attack. A US Department of Energy official stated that there has been no discussion at all regarding the strategic petroleum reserve. The media reported that the US currently has about 415 million barrels of oil in its strategic reserve, kept as a backup for emergencies. The market generally expects that a new round of Middle East conflict will disrupt energy supplies, causing oil prices to rise after the New York market opens. According to Iranian media, the key oil transport route, the Strait of Hormuz, has actually been closed.