Iran Strikes Spark U.S. Political Turmoil and Oil Price Spike

A recent survey shows Americans are deeply divided over military actions in Iran by the United States and Israel, which began early Saturday. Some 27% of respondents approved of the strikes, while 43% disapproved and 29% were unsure.

The poll revealed that 56% of U.S. adults believe President Trump is too willing to use military force to advance American interests, with 87% of Democrats, 23% of Republicans, and 60% of independents sharing this view.

Conducted during the strikes and closed before the first American casualties were announced by the military, the survey found that three U.S. service members have been killed and five more seriously wounded since the operation began, contributing to a new and unpredictable conflict in the Middle East.

While 55% of Republicans approved of the strikes and 13% disapproved, 42% of Trump supporters said they would be less likely to support the Iran campaign if it resulted in U.S. troops being killed or injured.

President Trump’s approval rating dipped slightly to 39%, one point below a previous survey conducted February 18-23. The strikes occurred three days before the first presidential primaries of the U.S. midterm elections, which will determine whether Trump’s Republican party maintains its majority in Congress for the next two years.

Additionally, 45% of respondents, including 34% of Republicans and 44% of independents, indicated they would be less likely to support the campaign against Iran if domestic gas or oil prices increased. Brent crude prices surged 10% to about $80 a barrel on Sunday, with analysts predicting potential climbs as high as $100 due to the conflict.

The survey collected responses from 1,282 U.S. adults nationwide and had a margin of error of three percentage points.