The Australian sharemarket closed sharply lower and oil prices spiked after US forces carried out fresh airstrikes on Iran, with a deal to end the three-month war remaining elusive.

The Australian sharemarket has climbed at the open while oil prices have tumbled on rising hopes of an end to the Middle East conflict.

The Australian sharemarket closed in the green while oil prices fell, amid rising hopes of an end to the Middle East conflict.

The dollar strengthened against all its Group-of-10 peers, while gold erased earlier gains to fall 0.5% to about $4,545 an ounce