Is World War 3 imminent following Iran’s attack on Israel? And what are the latest developments from the conflict in the Middle East?
The entire Middle East region is once again ablaze as tensions rise between the Shiite-led Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Israel. Now, following Iran’s extensive drone-missile assault this Saturday, a lot of folks on social media are once again heralding the dreaded “World War 3”between the Western and the Eastern blocks.
As an advocate of the Palestinian cause, the Islamic Republic has been at odds with Israel for as long as anyone can remember. But these tensions rose to an all-time high when Israel attacked the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1. Following the attack, Tehran vowed retaliation, which was carried out in an extensive air operation on the night of April 13.
Will this confrontation lead to World War 3, and is there going to be a new war in the Middle East?
The Iranian attack on Israel and World War 3 rumors, explained
On the night of April 13, the Revolutionary Guards Corps of the Islamic Republic carried out an operation against Israel, the first direct attack of such sort between the two countries since the beginning of the Iran–Israel proxy conflict.
Iran’s attack allegedly involved more than a hundred drones, dozens of cruise missiles, and a hundred ballistic missiles, while the Israeli-led coalition, assisted by the United States, the U.K., France, and Jordan, intercepted the munitions. The attack has gone down in history as the largest drone strike in history, and has drastically heightened hostilities between the two countries.
On Sunday, the Iranian envoy to the United Nations said the attacks can be “deemed concluded,” but it’s still unclear whether Israel will do an attack of its own to retaliate. President Joe Biden has condemned the attack, but according to NBC News, the Commander in Chief is worried that an Israeli response might trigger a larger war in the region, which the U.S. is trying to avoid. In fact, according to three people close to the president, Biden thinks Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is trying to drag the United States into a broader conflict with Iran, which should be avoided.
This has all naturally led to some doomsayers on social media proclaiming that WW3 is nigh, but even a broader fire exchange between Iran and Israel is highly unlikely to kickstart the avalanche leading to that nightmarish World War scenario. For one thing, the White House is constantly reaffirming that it doesn’t want a war with Iran. And for another, Tehran seems sated for the time being.
All in all, while the Israeli–Palestinian conflict has unsettled the Middle East yet again, these events don’t seem to be escalating out of control. The United Nations is working through diplomatic channels to ease tensions, meaning that even a larger war could still be avoided, let alone a World War.
To put it another way, we wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.
