A joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, and Iran's return of missiles, has led to turmoil in the Middle East. That's affected Berkshire County most pointedly in one place: gas prices. They've risen more than 80 cents in the last month, with some stations even pricing gas above $4.

PITTSFIELD — Gas prices have climbed back above $4 a gallon in the Berkshires for the first time since 2022. And officials see that trend continuing.

In Pittsfield, the average price for a gallon of gas on Monday was $3.79, up 83 cents since last month, according to AAA. Some local gas stations have regular gas priced at $4.09 a gallon.

For the first time since 2022, the price of a regular gallon of gas is past $4 at some stations. Although the average price in Pittsfield is hovering around $3.80, officials think the upward trend isn't likely to stop anytime soon.

Now three weeks into a joint U.S.-Israel war against Iran, the oil- and gas-rich Middle East has been thrown into turmoil. That instability has spread to the oil and gas markets, causing prices to shoot up.

This has left residents wondering how the Iran war is causing these prices to go up, how local gas stations set prices and who is making the most profit from this increase?

"In a lot of ways, retail gas stations are kind of in the same boat as consumers in terms of the higher prices," said Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA. "Since the war began, the prices that they're paying to fill out their underground storage tanks have shown up pretty dramatically."

The main reason for the increases is that Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20 percent of the world's oil passes. It also transports key mixing ingredients that refineries in the United States use to produce gasoline.

Oil prices have risen sharply, leading to increased prices at the pump. But residents like Nick Bradley are more or less ambivalent. "You gotta get where you gotta get," he said.

Instability is another big factor to the sustained high prices, with President Donald Trump making a variety of contradictory claims about the state of the war, causing markets to fall and rise back again over the course of a couple days.

On Monday, he announced a five-day delay in striking Iranian power plants, citing that negotiation talks were going well, The New York Times reported. Publicly, Iran has appeared to reject progress in ending the conflict.

This caused oil prices to fall sharply during the day, but that drop likely won't show up at the pump, Schieldrop said. "We're going to need multiple sharp drops before we can maybe start to expect to see prices level off."

This increase has been something business owners have to reckon with, said Nick Nadorff, the owner of Stockbridge Gas, a local installer and maintainer of heating appliances.

A joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, and Iran's return of missiles, has led to turmoil in the Middle East. That's affected Berkshire County most pointedly in one place: gas prices. They've risen more than 80 cents in the last month, with some stations even pricing gas above $4.

Nadorff has eight trucks for his business and hears about the increase in gas prices every day from his employees, meaning he has to increase his own prices for his clients.

"I just have to keep up with inflation," he said. "This is no different than anything else [who] goes on in business. You got to make a profit."

Gas stations have to keep that margin in mind too, one that shrinks as the wholesale price increases.

Stations refill their underground storage tanks every one to two weeks, Schieldrop said, meaning they're not sitting on large stores of fuel.

Gas prices on Route 7 Great Barrington in are just below the $4 mark.

"They're definitely paying a little bit less than the price that they're charging us," he said. "But it's not as if they're jacking prices, but still selling gasoline that they had that was manufactured and delivered before the war."

Despite those increases, most drivers are shrugging off the rising cost.

"You gotta get where you gotta get," said Nick Bradley, who was pumping gas in Lanesborough.

Nick Bradley hasn't started shopping around for the lowest gas prices, but that's something he's considering. Still, he said, "You gotta get to your work, you got gotta get your kids to school, you got to get to the normal places."

The prices have gotten to Bradley a little, as he mentioned the possibility of starting to shop around for the lowest prices after seeing gas top the $4-a-gallon mark.

"The extra driving, you might want to cut down on that," he added.

Gas prices on Route 7 Great Barrington near the former Barrington Fairgrounds.

Becoming price conscious might become more necessary as gas prices are likely going to continue to rise, Schieldrop said. "I would give it three weeks before we can maybe reassess and say, 'All right, we're starting to see prices level off.'"

The reason for that is twofold: it takes some time for the conflict and market prices to work their way into consumer prices, and gas stations will hold higher prices for longer to safeguard against volatility.

Gas prices on Route 7 Great Barrington in are just below the $4 mark.

There are price increases at every level of the gas supply chain, which has caused gas stations to tighten their margins, Schieldrop said. Stations' retail margins — the difference in price the station and consumer pay — are about the same as last year.

"If anyone in the market is benefiting greatly from this, it's the refiners," he said. Their margins have "risen sharply."

Gas prices at Love's Travel Stop on Route 22 in Canaan, NY near the Mass Pike entrance is $3.69 gallon for regular unleaded.

Still, driving is a necessity for most people in the Berkshires, and their plans aren't changing because prices are.

"I'm due to make a trip down South to see my son and grandchildren in South Carolina," Nadorff said. "That's gonna cost me a lot more. But I'll still go."

"At 78 ... I'm used to the inflation," he said.