California Is Facing A “Fuelmaggedon” As Fighting Erupts In The Middle East And The Strait Of Hormuz Remains Closed

Would you pay 8 dollars for a gallon of gasoline? I know that may sound crazy to many of you, but that is what some residents of Los Angeles are paying right now. Sadly, the west coast is more dependent on oil from the Persian Gulf than anywhere else in the continental United States, and now the last tanker that departed before the war with Iran began has arrived. What this means is that gas prices are going to go even higher on the west coast. In fact, some gas stations may soon need to add another digit on their pumps in order to accommodate prices that are higher than $9.99 a gallon.

After President Trump announced the start of “Project Freedom”, a few commercial vessels decided that they would try to make it through the Strait of Hormuz.

Shortly thereafter, the Iranians began firing.

A South Korean cargo vessel was among those that were targeted…

A South Korean ship sailing near the Strait of Hormuz was attacked on Monday, according to the Korean media outlet Chosun Daily, citing a government official.

U.S. warships were targeted too, and in response the Navy destroyed 6 Iranian fast attack boats…

The U.S. attacked Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after Tehran targeted Navy ships, threatening to upend a fragile ceasefire and President Donald Trump’s new vow to open the critical pathway.

The U.S. military “blew up” six small Iranian boats after its forces launched “multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats” at the ships but did not hit them, according to U.S. Central Command head Adm. Bradley Cooper, who leads America’s operations in the region. He did not say what impact this would have on the ceasefire.

The Iranians have also launched at least 15 missiles and 4 drones at the United Arab Emirates…

United Arab Emirates air defences engaged 15 Iranian missiles and four drones, its defence ministry says.

That includes 12 ballistic missiles and three cruise missiles, injuring three people.

Most of the missiles and drones were intercepted, but it appears that a significant amount of damage was done at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone…

Flames also broke out at Fujairah Oil Industry Zone after a drone attack, which has left three Indian nationals with “moderate” injuries.

Plumes of dark smoke have been pummelling into the sky after the shock strike, some 80 miles from Dubai.

Needless to say, those running the UAE are extremely upset, and they are warning that they have a “full and legitimate ​right” to hit back…

The UAE’s foreign ministry said the attacks posed a direct threat to the nation’s security, adding that the UAE reserved its “full and legitimate ​right” to respond.

The ceasefire is dead, and that is really bad news for those that were hoping that gasoline prices would come down soon.

On Monday, it was being reported that the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States has now reached $4.45…

Gas prices are entering the summer driving season at record levels, with the national average hitting $4.45 on May 2—the highest ever for that date.

That’s up about $1.28 from a year ago, according to AAA, with prices rising across nearly every region.

Paying four and a half dollars a gallon is not the end of the world.

But in some parts of California, it is an entirely different story right now.

As I mentioned earlier, some residents of Los Angeles are now paying more than 8 dollars a gallon…

Long known for its sprawling freeways and car-centric lifestyle, Los Angeles is reaching a breaking point as fuel costs turn the simple act of driving into a “miserable, miserable, miserable” experience.

As regional gas prices soar past $8 a gallon, residents in the once-thriving Golden State are checking their eyes and their bank accounts, with some admitting they “thought it was a meme” or “thought it was AI.” But the financial pain is all too real for those living in the nation’s most expensive car culture, where filling a tank now requires a triple-digit investment.

“It’s very painful to drive in L.A. right now, and especially if you’re barely making minimum wage, it’s not even worth driving,” Amador, from Santa Clarita, told Fox News Digital during a man-on-the-street segment. “Thought it was a meme, thought it was AI, but looking at it up close, it’s kind of crazy to think you’re paying almost $9.”

That is crazy.

Sadly, gas prices in California could soon go a lot higher because “the final ship carrying oil from the Middle East” has reached the Port of Long Beach…

California is about to face the most brutal test of the gas crisis yet as the final ship carrying oil from the Middle East arrived in the Golden State.

The last oil tanker to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war kicked off docked at the Port of Long Beach with two million barrels for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Despite the West Coast being heavily reliant on fossil fuels out of the Persian Gulf due to crippling eco-policies from Gavin Newsom, there are no more vessels currently en route.

No more tankers from the Middle East will be arriving.

That is really bad news, because normally approximately 30 percent of California’s oil imports come from the Persian Gulf…

Last year, California refineries sourced around 30% of their foreign crude oil from the Persian Gulf, based on state data.

The Golden State is particularly vulnerable to war in the region as its status as an isolated energy island without gas pipelines has led it to increasingly rely on these imports.

The politicians in California didn’t want to build any pipelines.

Now they are going to pay a very great price for that decision.

Everyone was counting on a quick end to the war.

Now fighting has resumed, and I expect that this conflict will soon escalate dramatically.

But even if a miracle happens and some sort of a deal is reached, the Iranians are never going to allow traffic to flow through the Strait of Hormuz like it did before the war.

The Iranians have been very clear about the fact that they intend to manage traffic through the Strait of Hormuz from now on…

Statements have intensified following a message for National Persian Gulf Day attributed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

In the message, he described the strait as a “strategic asset” and outlined a vision for the region’s future as “a future without America,” emphasizing the importance of “Iranian management of the strait.”

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signaled the shift most clearly, linking current policy to both strategic doctrine and historical precedent.

“Today as well, by exercising management over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will ensure that it and its neighbors enjoy the valuable prospect of a future free from the presence and interference of America,” he wrote on X.

If the Iranians are allowed to charge tolls and restrict who is allowed to use the Strait of Hormuz on a permanent basis, it will strangle the global economy for years to come.

But the only way to break Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz is by force.

Either option will have enormous consequences.

The bottom line is that we are still only in the very early stages of this crisis, and so the elevated gas prices that we are witnessing now could seem like a great bargain a few months down the road.

Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

About the Author: Michael Snyder’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written nine other books that are available on Amazon.com including “Chaos”, “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. When you purchase any of Michael’s books you help to support the work that he is doing. You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter. Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites. These are such troubled times, and people need hope. John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.