Iran-US Conflict Escalates in Strait of Hormuz Amid Falling Domestic Support

Fighting between the United States and Iran resumed in mid-to-late July 2026 and has since spread across the Middle East, with the Strait of Hormuz becoming a focal point of the conflict. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated it struck and halted tankers attempting to pass through the strait under US military escort via what it called an undeclared route, while separately a trade vessel was reported struck by an unknown projectile near Oman's coast. Energy prices have risen amid the fighting, and President Trump has claimed a deal to reopen the strait is imminent while also gathering his cabinet to discuss the stalling war and threatening additional strikes on Iran. On July 22, 2026, Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony for fallen US soldiers, telling attendees the troops supported the Iran war, at a time when American public criticism of the conflict was growing. A Politico poll released the same week found support for continuing the war dropping among voters who backed Trump in the presidential election, with backing from MAGA-aligned voters falling by 13 points when respondents were asked whether the war should continue despite rising costs. As of early August, the strait remained a site of military activity, with four additional tankers reported to have altered course and returned to previous positions after the reported strikes. The war's trajectory and its effect on the November midterm elections remain unresolved, as does the precise status of any negotiated reopening of the Strait of Hormuz that Trump has referenced. It is unclear whether the vessel struck near Oman is among the tankers Iran claims to have hit, and the identity of the projectile that struck the trade vessel has not been confirmed. The scope of further US military action against Iran, and whether declining domestic support will affect White House policy, have not been determined based on available reporting.