Iran-Israel conflict could lead to world war III

The Iran-Israel conflict has become an international flashpoint threatening to plunge the world into an unprecedented global war. With Israel's attacks on Iran and Lebanon, its ongoing genocide in Gaza, and rising global polarization, the prospect of World War III is now a present danger. If Iran and Israel engage in full-scale war and global superpowers support either side directly or indirectly, casualties could exceed millions-especially in a nuclear era. An urgent truce is critically needed, and Israel must be held accountable for its humanitarian crimes-not only against Gaza or Iran, but also the world at large.

 

World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945) reshaped humanity through destruction and despair. The First World War killed over 16 million people, destroyed empires, and sowed the seeds of an even more devastating Second World War. World War II, with over 70 million deaths, introduced the horrors of nuclear warfare and genocide. In its aftermath, the United Nations (UN) was created in 1945 to prevent future global wars.

 

Yet since UN's founding, the world has seen over 250 major conflicts, including the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Rwandan Genocide, Syrian Civil War, Russia-Ukraine War, and numerous Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, along with Western attacks on Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan. In nearly all cases, the UN failed to stop wars or atrocities due to the Security Council's five permanent members (United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, and France) with veto power as these nations often prioritize geopolitical interests over peace.

The Middle East has long been volatile, but a full-scale war between Israel and Iran would have global consequences. Iran holds major regional influence. A war with Israel could ignite a multi-front conflict, drawing in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and eventually major global powers like the US, UK, Russia, France, and China. In a nuclear and cyber-warfare era, such a conflict would be catastrophic. Israel reportedly has over 100 nuclear warheads. While Iran hasn't officially developed nuclear weapons, it has the capability. A miscalculation could trigger nuclear exchange.

 

Even without nuclear weapons, cyber warfare could cripple critical infrastructure-power grids, water systems, hospitals, and banks-causing mass casualties, economic collapse, and societal breakdown. Russian Major General Apti Alaudinov urged the Kremlin to mobilize up to one million troops after Israel's attack on Iran, claiming World War III is already underway. His comment reflects growing concern among military leaders that the dominoes of a global conflict are already falling.

 

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has increasingly adopted hardline policies pushing the Middle East toward war. Under his leadership, Israel has continued bombarding Gaza, causing tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths, including women and children. Human rights groups and legal scholars describe this as genocide. Attacking Lebanon simultaneously while conducting a full-scale assault on Gaza portrays a nation driven by aggression rather than security. Netanyahu's unprecedented decision to strike Iranian targets was seen globally as reckless. This strategy destabilizes the region and ignites global backlash.

 

The creation of Israel in 1948 was a direct response to the Holocaust and centuries of anti-Semitic persecution in Europe. After Nazi Germany's fall, Holocaust survivors found much of Europe still hostile or traumatizing. These conditions made clear the urgent need for a safe, sovereign homeland, leading to Israel's establishment as a refuge. However, its birth also displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, triggering deep-rooted grievances and prolonged conflict. Israel for several wars after its inception including major wars like; 1948 Arab-Israeli War and 1973 Yom Kippur War against neighboring Arab countries. Over time, Israel's aggressive military posture and expansionist policies turned nearly all its neighbors-Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen-into adversaries.

For Israel to thrive and coexist peacefully in a region scarred by colonial legacies and geopolitical rifts, it must avoid isolating itself by antagonizing all neighbors. No state, however militarily powerful or diplomatically backed by the West, can sustain endless conflict with its entire region. History shows that empires fall not only to external threats but to internal moral decay and refusal to adapt. Israel must focus on building diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties with its Arab neighbors.

 

Israel's military campaigns, especially in Gaza, have drawn increasing global condemnation. The targeting of hospitals, schools, homes, and journalists has eroded its international standing. Protests across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas reflect this shift. Universities, human rights groups, and civil societies have begun labeling Israel a "terrorist state." To avoid global isolation, Israel must act urgently to restore its image through accountability, justice, and commitment to peace.

 

While alliances with the United States and Western nations offer military and economic benefits, they are no substitute for regional harmony rather patronizing their own war economy. True security will come only when Israel is no longer seen as an occupying force or a Western outpost, but as a cooperative regional partner. By investing in peace and diplomacy instead of endless war, Israel has a chance to lead the Middle East into a new era of coexistence. While Israel should get out of its stature of an occupying force, the other Arab nations should also allow Israel to exist in the Middle East peacefully as their regional neighbor.

 

Behind every war lies a lucrative industry: arms manufacturing and sales. The United States, United Kingdom, France, and other Western nations have long profited from supplying weapons to Israel and other conflict zones. This complicity in war crimes must end. The hypocrisy is glaring as Western nations preach human rights while selling billions in arms to countries committing war crimes. Therefore, restoring peace requires pressuring these countries to stop profiting from destruction.

 

Israel's Western allies-primarily the United States and the United Kingdom-have long treated the Middle East not as a region of sovereign states but as a strategic playground. Through wars in Iraq, Syria, and Libya, Western interventions have devastated the region while advancing energy interests and military-industrial agendas. By pushing Iran toward war, the West benefits at the cost of millions of Arab and Muslim lives. Acting as regional enforcer, Israel loses its moral standing and long-term viability. Meanwhile, the region descends deeper into chaos, extremism, and humanitarian disaster.

 

The most widely supported resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the two-state solution-recognizing both Israel and Palestine as sovereign nations. This plan has received international endorsement for decades but has never materialized. The main obstacle is Israel's expansionist policies. Israel's actions, especially under Netanyahu, reflect not a desire for peace but for permanent occupation. Moreover, decision to shift Israel's capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem further deterred Israel-Palestine conflict hurting religious sentiments. If Israel truly seeks peace, a fair and just two-state solution remains the only path to regional stability and coexistence.

 

In today's interconnected world, calamities like; refugee crises, food shortages, oil price shocks, cyber-attacks, and nuclear threats know no borders. The Iran-Israel conflict, if unchecked, could trigger World War III. Unfortunately, this WWIII can even turn into a religious war like WWII and this time it can be the Muslims versus the others. Hence, Global leaders must rise above narrow interests and prioritize humanity. The world must demand an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and initiate honest dialogue among all parties. Diplomatic channels must be reinvigorated to build a sustainable peace framework. Simultaneously, the United Nations must undergo major reform to uphold peace and justice. However, Israel must be condemned for its atrocities.

 

In today's bipolar world, it is difficult to unify all parties as geopolitical interests increasingly outweigh humanitarian concerns. During the 1971 Bangladeshi Liberation War, the US supported Pakistan while the USSR and India supported Bangladesh. This division shows how superpowers can perpetuate war. If they cannot rise above self-interest, World War III may soon become reality. The world must act now to end all conflicts.

 

There must be international investigations and prosecution of war crimes, regardless of the perpetrator. Strict embargoes on arms sales to conflict zones must be enforced. Countries and corporations that profit from war must be held accountable. Equally important is global support for grassroots peace movements and civil society efforts that promote reconciliation and understanding. Real, lasting peace is only possible when communities are empowered to reject hatred and build bridges.

 

World War III is no longer fiction-it is a real threat, fueled by the Iran-Israel conflict. Even if Iran is neutralized by Israel and its allies for this time, in future the conflict can turn into the Arab versus Israel. The devastation of the past two world wars should be enough to deter humanity from repeating history. Israel must stop its aggression. Iran must restrain retaliation. Western nations must end war profiteering. And the world must unite-not in war, but in peace. Only then can we leave behind a world worth living in-for this generation and the next.

 

The writer is Chief Editor at Mohammadi News Agency (MNA) and Editor at Kishore Bangla