Gas prices have been on the rise. The national averages for gas and diesel are some of the highest they’ve ever been. This is due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

“Global crude oil prices have been volatile over the last few weeks following the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran,” NPR said.

These attacks centered around one place in particular. That space is where most of the oil passes through to get to other countries.

“Global oil supplies are experiencing their worst disruption in decades, thanks to a sharp decrease in ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway through which about 20% of the world’s oil traffic typically passes, as well as attacks by both sides on critical oil infrastructure,” NPR said.

National averages for gas have skyrocketed due to this.

“The national average for a gallon of regular exceeded $4/gallon this week for the first time since August 2022,” AAA Fuel Prices said.

Unfortunately, prices are predicted to only get higher. Higher prices will cost the consumers much more per year and could potentially be detrimental to working class families.

“Under the latest forecast, we project gas prices will peak at over $4.25 per gallon in May, and that the average household will pay $857 more for gasoline over the rest of the year,” Stanford University said.

Also, if prices for diesel continue to go up, it will have a negative effect on the whole economy. It could potentially cause more things to become more expensive.

“Higher diesel prices have an inflationary impact on nearly all goods in the economy, because diesel is used to power farm equipment, construction equipment, and the trucks, the ships and many of the trains that carry goods around the world,” NPR said.

While prices continue to skyrocket, there is very little wiggle room in terms of solutions to this situation.

“The blunt answer is that, short of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, there is not much that can be done,” Stanford University said. “Moreover, opening the Strait won’t fix things overnight.”

While prices rising is not the greatest situation, it is predicted to get better. It is thought that the economy will not suffer too much from the temporary inflation.

“Some readers may recall that in the 1970s, oil shocks stemming from the creation of the OPEC cartel caused the economy to shrink,” Stanford University said. “This time around, however, forecasters think that even a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz will not bring about an economic contraction.”