Reuters/Ipsos Poll: Most Americans Expect U.S.-Iran War to Be Prolonged

A strong majority of Americans believe the U.S. conflict with Iran will continue for a long time, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted as fighting intensified and President Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping in the Gulf.

The three-day nationwide survey, completed on Sunday, found that 79% of respondents expect U.S. military involvement in Iran to last for an extended period. That marks a sharp increase from 65% in a similar poll conducted in late March. Only 18% believe the conflict will end within a few weeks.

The poll also showed mixed public support for the military campaign. About 37% of respondents approved of U.S. airstrikes against Iran, which resumed on June 26 after Washington accused Tehran of attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The survey included 1,019 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of approximately four percentage points.

President Trump announced on Monday that the United States would restore its blockade of Iranian shipping in the Gulf and impose a 20% reimbursement fee on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The move came after Iran declared the strategic waterway closed, triggering renewed missile and drone exchanges between the two countries.

The escalation has further undermined a temporary agreement reached last month to reopen the strait and pause hostilities while negotiations continued. Trump has since declared the ceasefire effectively over, although he said diplomatic discussions remain possible.

Economic concerns are also growing. Around 60% of those surveyed expect gasoline prices to rise over the next year because of the conflict, while half believe the war has not been worth its overall cost.

The ongoing war and rising energy prices present a political challenge for Trump ahead of the November midterm elections. His approval rating has remained near the lowest point of his political career since the conflict began, with Republican strategists warning that higher living costs could outweigh the political gains from his tax-cut agenda and threaten the party’s control of Congress.