With Oil Over $100USD, How Are Nations Stretching Their Supplies?

Belizeans have seen fuel prices climb in recent weeks, and Prime Minister John Briceño says there is little that can be done as long as the U.S.–Israel war with Iran keeps pushing oil costs higher.

So how are countries that depend directly on Middle Eastern oil handling the crisis? Across Asia, governments are rolling out measures to stretch their supplies.

In Sri Lanka, every Wednesday has been declared a holiday for public institutions to save fuel. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told officials, “We must prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.”

Thailand is urging workers to ditch suits for short‑sleeved shirts to cut down on air conditioning. While Bangladesh has moved up Ramadan holidays in universities and introduced planned blackouts.

In the Philippines, government offices are requiring staff to work from home at least one day a week, while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has banned non‑essential travel in the public sector.

The crisis began when US/Israeli attacks on Iran choked off the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane that carried millions of barrels of oil into Asia. Nearly 90% of the oil and gas that passed through the strait last year was bound for Asian countries, making them the hardest hit.