Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is racing to pass a state budget and stave off early elections he would likely lose, with the war in ​Iran so far doing little to improve his standing in the polls.

Israel launched strikes across Iran on Thursday, hours after US President Donald Trump said Tehran wanted a deal to end the nearly four-week war despite its top diplomat rejecting any talks with

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to call on Iranians to flood the streets to protest their government last week, but President Trump told him it was just too risky, two U.S. officials and an Israeli source said.

Americans are increasingly critical of the U.S.’s monthlong war in Iran, according to several polls released Wednesday, with prices at the pump remaining high and fears of a wider conflict growing. Sixty-one percent of respondents in a Pew Research Center poll said they disapprove of the president’s handling of the conflict,

The White House is portraying the U.S. campaign against Iran as entering a decisive phase, with officials saying American forces have shattered much of Tehran’s military capacity and warning that President Donald Trump is ready to “unleash hell” if Iran rejects emerging diplomatic channels.

President Trump suggested late Wednesday he's avoiding describing the military conflict with Iran as a "war" because of concerns around the fact that Congress hasn't authorized military force.

There were conflicting messages over the diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran as Pakistan offered to host peace talks in Islamabad aimed at ending the hostilities.

President Donald Trump said for a second day that the U.S. was in talks with Iran to end the war as diplomatic efforts picked up Tuesday and Iran issued a newly defiant statement. Airstrikes battered the Islamic Republic while Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel and sites across the region.