(CNN) Presidents have historically seen a bump in their approval ratings during a military crisis, but the partisanship that has gripped the country in recent years has stunted that traditional bump in the polls.

That evidence suggests President Donald Trump's approval rating -- which has lingered in the lower to mid 40s throughout his presidency -- likely won't see too much of a change in the wake of the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and the Islamic Republic's retaliatory strike on Iraqi bases housing US troops this week.

Last week, Trump ordered a strike that killed Soleimani, the leader of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard elite Quds force, which was followed by a strike from Iran against Iraqi bases housing US troops. In a speech to the nation on Wednesday, the President announced new sanctions "until Iran changes its behavior."

Traditionally, political observers could expect such events to inspire a "rally around the flag" polling bump for the person in the Oval Office. But, Trump's extremely steady approval rating and a growing partisanship in the US may prove stronger than that "rally around the flag" bump.

During Operation Desert Storm in the Gulf War of early 1991, President George H.W. Bush deployed troops to Saudi Arabia and began a series of air strikes on Iraq.

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