Gas prices in Riverside County hit an average of $5.45 per gallon for regular unleaded this Saturday, up from $5.06 just one week ago, according to AAA. Statewide, Californians are paying even more, with the average reaching $5.48 Saturday, compared to $5.08 a week prior.The jump is part of a broader national surge tied to the war in Iran. Since fighting began on February 28th, gas prices have climbed 23 percent, with AAA reporting a national average of $3.68 per gallon. In California, that pain at the pump is hitting harder than most.The root cause is the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf that roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil passes through each day. Iran has effectively cut off oil tanker traffic through the strait since the conflict began, squeezing global supply and sending prices upward.Brent crude oil, a global benchmark, closed above $100 per barrel on Friday, a threshold not crossed in years. Because oil prices typically move a few days ahead of…..