** Australian energy shares .AXEJ rise 1.8% to 8,380.2 points, highest since March 4

** Oil prices hit a more than two-month high after Trump said U.S. personnel were being moved out of the Middle East, raising fears that escalating tensions with Iran could disrupt supply O/R

** Woodside Energy WDS.AX rises 2.2% to A$24.04, highest since early March

** Santos STO.AX adds 1.3% to A$6.79, highest since April 2

** Smaller players Beach Energy BPT.AX and Karoon Energy KAR.AX among top gainers on benchmark index .AXJO

** YTD, AXEJ falls 3% YTD

(Reporting by Jasmeen Ara Shaikh in Bengaluru)

((JasmeenAraIslam.Shaikh@thomsonreuters.com;))