Home heating oil prices surge across Northern Ireland following Middle East tensions. Average prices jumped 45 percent in a single week, forcing pensioners to spend substantial portions of their monthly income on heating. One pensioner paid £786 for 800 litres, consuming three and a half weeks of her four-week pension. Another household saw prices rise from £286 to £526 for 400 litres within days. The crisis has sparked serious concerns about vulnerable populations choosing between heating and eating. Global oil prices climbed after Iran launched strikes across the Middle East in response to ongoing regional tensions. Northern Ireland residents have limited alternatives to home heating oil, making them particularly vulnerable to market volatility. Elderly residents and single pensioners face the greatest hardship as winter heating costs consume critical portions of fixed incomes.