Oil steadies as rising US inventories offset ship attack

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices steadied on Thursday, after earlier gains, as a big rise in U.S. crude inventories offset the supportive impact of another attack on shipping near Yemen. Brent crude futures eased 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $82.94 a barrel at 1339 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures lost 8 cents, or 0.1%, to $77.83 a barrel. Two missiles were fired at a vessel off the southeast coast of Yemen on Thursday, causing a fire onboard, British maritime agencies said, as Houthis keep up attacks on shipping to show support for the Palestinians in the Gaza war. “…. [Hostilities] in and around the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on commercial ships are guaranteed to continue keeping the…