Two new polls released this week reveal a sharp transatlantic divide over the ongoing US-Iran conflict. In Israel, 59% of respondents said ending the war under current conditions would threaten national security, according to an Israel Democracy Institute survey conducted April 26–30. In the US, 77% of Americans disapprove of military strikes against Iran, with opposition hitting 80% among 18- to 24-year-olds, per a Generation Lab poll.
Divergent public opinions
The IDI survey, which polled 601 Jewish and 150 Arab Israelis, suggests a majority sees the conflict as necessary for security—at least for now. But American sentiment tells a different story. 55% of Americans say they strongly disapprove of President Trump’s handling of military action against Iran, with disapproval highest in the youngest age bracket. The data points to a growing reluctance abroad for a war that began February 28, 2026.
Economic aftershocks
The conflict’s financial toll is already stark. Since late February, jet fuel prices have jumped 80%, WTI crude oil rose 58%, and European natural gas climbed 52%. Urea fertilizer prices have doubled over the same period, a spike that helped push US food and beverage inflation to 7.9% in March. Analysts tracking supply chains warn the fertilizer jump could tighten global grain supplies in coming months—a concrete risk for import-dependent regions.
Shifting views on US defense influence
Israeli perceptions of America’s role in their defense have shifted. 51% now say US influence is positive, up from 44% six months ago. Among Jewish respondents, the figure rose to 56.5% from 45%. The increase comes as the Trump administration continues air and naval operations against Iranian targets, a campaign that has drawn broad American public disapproval even as some Israelis see value in Washington’s commitment.
What’s unresolved
The polls capture a moment where the two publics are moving in opposite directions. Israeli security hawks argue stopping the campaign now would embolden Iran; American voters increasingly see the strikes as a dangerous escalation. The White House has not signaled a timeline for winding down operations, and no diplomatic off-ramp has been publicly proposed. With fuel and fertilizer costs still climbing, the next official inflation reading due in May will test whether the economic pain shifts either public’s stance.
