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President Trump’s job approval has fallen to 33%, the lowest point of his current presidency, as Americans increasingly express concern over the duration of the U.S. war with Iran and the economic fallout from the conflict, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The four-day survey found that just one-third of respondents approved of Trump’s performance in office, while 64% disapproved. The 33% figure represents a decline from the 35% recorded in a Reuters/Ipsos survey completed earlier this month and is the lowest of Trump’s current term. It also matches the lowest approval rating recorded during his previous term, reached in December 2017.

Trump returned to the White House in 2025 with an approval rating just below 50%, but his standing has deteriorated this year following his decision to launch strikes against Iran alongside Israel. The resulting war severely disrupted roughly one-fifth of global oil commerce, sending gasoline prices higher and increasing financial pressure on American households. The economic consequences are also creating political difficulties for Republicans seeking to preserve their congressional majorities in November’s midterm elections.

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to control inflation and keep the United States out of prolonged wars. He initially predicted that the confrontation with Iran would be over within several weeks, but Tehran has continued resisting while keeping much of the oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz restricted, even as the intensity of the fighting has diminished.

The poll found widespread expectations that the conflict will continue. Approximately 80% of Americans, including 87% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, believe U.S. involvement in Iran “will go on for an extended period of ‌time.” Only 16% expect the war to conclude within the next several weeks.

At a political rally Friday in Garden City, New York, Trump defended the higher fuel costs associated with the conflict, saying paying “a ‌tiny little bit more for your gasoline” was justified if it prevented “a very evil country” from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Throughout the war, Trump has repeatedly shifted between warning of further military escalation and suggesting that a peace agreement could soon be reached.

The survey found limited public support for the conflict itself. Only about 20% of Americans said they believe the war has been worth its costs, while approximately half of Republican respondents said the same.

The combination of the Iran conflict and rising gasoline prices has heightened Republican concerns ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, particularly as the party seeks to protect its narrow majority in the House. Democrats, meanwhile, increasingly view control of the Senate as potentially within reach.

Recent Reuters/Ipsos polling has also shown a shift in public perceptions of which party would better manage the economy. For the first time in roughly a decade, Democrats have moved ahead of Republicans on the issue. In the latest survey, 38% said Democrats would do a better job handling the economy, compared with 35% who favored Republicans.

Democrats also held an advantage when respondents were asked which party they believed could better address the cost of living.

Immigration has remained a stronger issue for Republicans throughout Trump’s presidency, amid a steep reduction in illegal border crossings and the administration’s nationwide immigration enforcement campaign. However, the Republican advantage has narrowed as concerns have grown over deadly encounters and an increase in the number of people being detained, including children.

Among registered voters, 40% said Republicans have the better approach to immigration, while 38% chose Democrats. The two-point Republican advantage is the smallest recorded during Trump’s current term, representing a dramatic contraction from the 26-point lead Republicans held on immigration in January 2025.

The Reuters/Ipsos survey was conducted online among 1,166 adults across the United States. The poll carries a margin of error of approximately three percentage points in either direction.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S.-led Board of Peace is moving toward a major change in its Gaza disarmament plan, abandoning a phased approach in favor of requiring Hamas and other terror groups to surrender all of their weapons in a single operation before Israel fully withdraws from the Gaza Strip.

Under the emerging proposal, Hamas would no longer be permitted to gradually turn over its weapons as other elements of the Gaza agreement move forward. Instead, the terror group and other armed organizations would be required to complete the disarmament process before a full IDF withdrawal takes place.

The shift reportedly follows a meeting between U.S. special envoy Jared Kushner and Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu. A Board of Peace official said the new approach would “reduce the gamble” for the countries participating in the process.

“We want complete disarmament without compromises on the issue and do not intend to allow any kinds of tricks,” the official said, describing the objective as “actual, genuine, complete and rapid disarmament.”

If Hamas refuses to surrender its weapons, the official added, “Israel will have international diplomatic backing to do it by force.”

The Kushner-Netanyahu meeting also produced an understanding that reconstruction of Gaza will not proceed unless Hamas is disarmed throughout the entire Strip.

Netanyahu reportedly insisted that the first step must be the surrender of Hamas’s weapons for destruction. Under his proposal, the arms would be turned over to Gen. Jasper Jeffers, commander of the International Stabilization Force for Gaza, with the process conducted under American supervision.

Kushner, speaking in an interview with Fox News, said Hamas had received a “firm ultimatum” to comply with the agreements it signed and relinquish its weapons. If it refuses, he said, the IDF would carry out the disarmament by force and “finish the job.”

Kushner added that a Hamas refusal to fulfill its commitments would leave Israel with substantially greater international support for renewed military action.

“Israel will have much more support from the U.S. and other countries to go finish the job properly,” he said.

Officials with the Board of Peace say the ultimate objective is now broadly agreed upon: Hamas must be completely stripped of both its weapons and governing authority, Gaza must be fully demilitarized, and only after those conditions have been fulfilled would Israel complete its withdrawal from the Strip.

{Matzav.com}

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Israeli airline Israir announced Tuesday that it will launch flights to New York by October.

The much-anticipated move comes as service on the highly lucrative transatlantic route remains limited, with only Israeli carriers currently flying nonstop to and from the United States after all three U.S. legacy carriers froze their flights due to the war with Iran.

While American carriers, led by Delta and United, are scheduled to resume service to Tel Aviv next month, airfares remain stubbornly high throughout the fall due to heavy postwar demand.

Israel’s second-largest carrier said it plans to start its New York flights by Oct. 19 pending final FAA approval, with tickets set to go on sale from next week. It will bring forward the launch date if the final authorization comes in sooner.

Israir did not cite a starting price for the route on Tuesday, but plans on offering economy, premium and business fares.

It is expected to run a daily flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport this fall, joining competing service by El Al, Arkia United and Delta.

Travel consultants said that the entry of an additional Israeli carrier on the top international route out of Tel Aviv was “significant news” for consumers and is expected to bring down airfares.

“We anticipate that as the supply of direct flights to New York grows, we will see a positive impact on pricing and availability, particularly during periods of high demand,” Yoni Waxman, deputy chairman of Israel’s Ophir Tours, told JNS. “The fact that it is an Israeli carrier offers an additional advantage, especially given how much importance Israeli travelers place on flight continuity and certainty.”

“We have been waiting for quite some time for an additional Israeli airline to compete directly with El Al in flying nonstop to New York,” said Mark Feldman, CEO of Jerusalem’s Ziontours. “If Israir wants to gain market share, they will need to aggressively market – and not match – El Al prices, and then the Israeli public will jump at this option.”

Israir operated transatlantic flights to New York from 2004 to 2008, when rising fuel prices forced it to suspend the route. JNS

The IDF carried out an airstrike Tuesday evening targeting several Hamas commanders gathered at a café in the Gaza City port area, saying the operatives were planning imminent attacks against Israeli troops operating in the Strip.

The strike took place in the Shati area of northern Gaza. According to reports from Gaza, the target was the “Bitter and Sweet” café located inside the port complex. Palestinian channels reported that at least six people were killed and another 10 wounded in the attack.

An Israeli security official said the operation targeted four Hamas terrorists who had gathered at the café, all of whom held command positions within the terror organization. The official said the group included one company commander and three platoon commanders.

The strike was carried out after the threat posed by the Hamas commanders was assessed by the IDF as immediate. The military said the operatives had been preparing attacks against Israeli forces currently deployed inside Gaza.

“The terrorists planned to carry out terror attacks against IDF forces operating in the Gaza Strip. The terrorists were struck from the air in order to remove the threat to the forces,” the IDF said.

Palestinian reports claimed the impact of the strike at the café was particularly powerful and that some of those killed were thrown into the sea by the blast. Israeli authorities have not confirmed those claims.

The IDF stressed that Southern Command forces remain deployed throughout Gaza in accordance with the existing agreement and will continue taking action against immediate threats to Israeli soldiers.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the operation reflected Israel’s standing policy in Gaza, as established by Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and himself.

“Israel’s policy in Gaza, as clarified to the IDF by Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and by me, is clear: We remove threats, eliminate terrorists, and settle accounts with anyone who took part in the October 7 massacre,” Katz said.

“That is how the IDF acted today in eliminating the Hamas terrorists, and that is how it will continue to act with force to protect our soldiers and ensure quiet for the communities of the south — from within the security zone.”

{Matzav.com}