New Delhi, July 21 -- WASHINGTON - The national average for a gallon of gasoline crossed $4.003 on Monday, the first time in more than a month the threshold has broken, as the continuing military conflict with Iran pushes global oil prices higher and Americans at the pump absorb the consequence.

AAA recorded the figure Monday morning. The last time prices rose this high was in the weeks before a June ceasefire agreement temporarily stabilized Brent crude below $80 a barrel. That period of relative calm is over. Brent crude traded at $88.98 on Monday, up 1 percent, while US West Texas Intermediate crude reached $82.44, a gain of 0.8 percent. Traders have pushed oil more than 15 percent higher over the past week alone, citing the breakdown...