Sri Lanka, March 13 -- Oil prices soared back above US$ 100 yesterday (12) as Iran's fresh attacks on supplies in the Middle East and threats to bring down the global economy overshadowed a record release of strategic crude by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The latest attacks marked an escalation in Iran's campaign aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end the war that started 12 days ago. But there were no signs that the conflict was subsiding.

As the US-Israel strikes on the Islamic Republic approach their third week, the war showed no signs of subsiding, as Tehran continues to respond with more retaliatory attacks across the Gulf.

With hostilities showing no sign of endin...