Oil prices edged higher on June 12 to their highest in more than two months, after U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. personnel were being moved out of the Middle East, which raised fear that escalating tensions with Iran could disrupt supply.

Brent crude futures rose 15 cents, 0.2%, to $69.92/bbl at 1230 am GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude 22 cents, 0.3%, to $68.37.

Both Brent and WTI surged more than 4% to their highest since early April on June 11.

Trump on June 11 said U.S. personnel were being moved out of the Middle East because "it could be a dangerous place," adding that the U.S. would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.

Reuters reported earlier on June 11 that the U.S. is preparing a partial evacuation of its Iraqi embassy and will allow military dependents to leave locations around the Middle East due to heightened security risks in the region, according to U.S. and Iraqi sources.

Iraq is OPEC's No. 2 crude producer after Saudi Arabia.

A U.S. official said military dependents could also leave Bahrain.

Meanwhile, Iran's Minister of Defense Aziz Nasirzadeh said Tehran will strike U.S. bases in the region if nuclear talks fail and conflict arises with Washington. Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with bombing if it does not reach a new nuclear deal.

Optimism around a trade deal between the U.S. and China, which could boost energy demand in the world's two biggest economies, also buoyed oil prices.

In the U.S., crude inventories fell by 3.6 MMbbl to 432.4 MMbbl last week, the Energy Information Administration said. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a draw of 2 MMbbl. 

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