European natural gas prices are lingering near two-week highs, lifted by a rising number of attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz alongside mounting concerns over winter supply.

Benchmark futures traded close to 76 euros per megawatt-hour, following a 3% gain in the previous session.

Crude oil futures also climbed as Iran stepped up attacks on tankers in the strait, just as crude shipments through the vital waterway approach pre-war levels.

Although liquefied natural gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz have edged up slightly in recent weeks, they remain subdued.

A gas carrier was also attacked near the strait recently, adding further pressure to supply concerns.

Before the Iran war broke out, roughly one-fifth of global liquefied natural gas was transported through the Strait of Hormuz, and continued disruption to the shipping lane would trigger fierce competition among gas buyers worldwide.