Energy stocks rose Thursday afternoon with the NYSE Energy Sector Index gaining 1.1% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) adding 0.9%.

The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index climbed 0.4%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index increased 0.2%.

Brent crude futures topped $100 a barrel for the first time since May after the US-Iran conflict widened, with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claiming attacks on two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, news outlets reported.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil jumped 6.6% to $92.52 a barrel, and global benchmark Brent surged 7.3% to $100.91. Henry Hub natural gas futures rose 0.3% to $2.93 per 1 million BTU.

In corporate news, Matador Resources (MTDR) agreed to buy Paloma Permian, a portfolio company of EnCap Investments, for $1.28 billion. Matador shares fell 4.9%.