Local gas prices hold steady

Gas prices in northeast Ohio remain about 10 cents below the national average. But new hostilities in the Middle East could drive costs for local motorists higher, according to AAA. The agency, which tracks gas price data, said costs in northeast Ohio averaged about $2.90 per gallon on Monday, while the national average sat at about $2.99, an increase of about six cents since last week. Attacks from Israel and the United States this past weekend in Iran, which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could influence local gas prices. "Iran is a key player in the oil market, and any disruption to its oil infrastructure is consequential," AAA spokesperson Lynda Lambert said. "If the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to open waters, is blocked, that could send a ripple effect throughout the world, even on countries that don't heavily rely on oil from the Middle East. Oil is part of a global market which means when there's a shortfall in one part of the world, it affects other parts too." Local price picture AAA provided average gas prices for local counties as of Monday: • Erie County: $2.89 • Huron County: $2.95 • Ottawa County: $2.93 • Sandusky County: $2.73 • Seneca County: $2.67 • Hancock County: $2.46