(MENAFN) On Monday, oil rates surged driven by demand confidence in China, which is considered the second biggest oil consumer in the world, and escalated Middle East tensions as Israel continued to strike Lebanon in spite of a ceasefire agreement.

The international oil benchmark of Brent crude rose by 0.11 percent to USD72.42 per barrel at 11.29 AM regional time (0829 GMT), increasing from the earlier session's end of USD72.34.

The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate soared by 0.06 percent to USD68.51 per barrel as well, in comparison to USD68.47 at the previous session's closing.

On Monday, China's Caixin manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) went beyond estimates at 51.5 for November.

On Saturday, The National Bureau of Statistics PMI surged to 50.3 as well, rising from 50.1 in October.

The statistics upturned anticipations that financial activity in the nation are going to advance amid ongoing backing from China’s capital Beijing.

Tension escalated in the Middle East as the Israeli military continued to breach the ceasefire deal that came into power on November 27.

The official Lebanese news agency NNA noted the Israeli military on Monday morning started shooting toward the city of Naqoura in southern Lebanon, the recent defilement of the ceasefire that came into effect last week.

Based on an Anadolu tally, the Israeli army conducted 11 violations on Sunday by attacking southern Lebanese cities, raising the overall violations since the November 27 ceasefire to 73.

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