WWIII? Not Quite… – The US-Israel-Iran 2026 War
With the recent US-Israel-Iran war, one question has been on everyone’s mind – Is this the beginning of World War III? Our last World War was in the 1940s, and while many outbreaks between countries have happened, this latest one seemed to have struck a particular fear for many.
War
On the 28th of February 2026, the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, reportedly called ‘Operation Epic Fury’ by the US and “Operation Roaring Lion” by Israel, due to concerns over Iran’s nuclear programs and growing political tensions. These attacks focused on Iran’s military sites and allegedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, there have been strikes all across the Middle East from both sides. As of 12th of March 1,858 people have been killed in Iran.
Effects
This war not only affects countries directly involved, but Australia and the rest of the world too. The Strait of Hormuz, a popular oil transit point, has been disrupted, and many airline and shipping paths have been affected as well. The Australian government has issued a Do Not Travel statement for many countries in the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Qatar, Iraq, Syria, the UAE, and more.
World War 3
Experts say World War 3 is not likely to approach anytime soon, but this ongoing conflict is serious and has global consequences. While this could lead to a bigger war, World War requires powerful countries such as China, Russia, and military alliances such as NATO to participate. Today, countries are heavily reliant on others for global trade, so governments would try to avoid a conflict that would lead to their economic collapse. Another factor is the addition of nuclear weapons in modern times, which would make any global war far more destructive, and could implode both sides, a factor many countries are aware of and wary towards. Also, The United Nations would try for negotiations and try to prevent conflicts. So, a World War would be far too chaotic and destructive in this century for the world to handle and is very unlikely to happen.
What would happen to Australia in a potential World War III?
If World War III did occur, Australia would fight alongside the United States and New Zealand to hold up their role in the ANZUS Treaty. This would give us a more powerful role in the conflict but also pose us as a threat to countries such as China. This would face us with the possibility of attacks from China, who has strong military capability and would put us under big risk. Australia is relatively safe and politically stable, and according to International Business Times UK, Australia and New Zealand are the two countries that would survive in a nuclear war due to our isolation.
To sum up, while the recent war has raised global concern, World War III is not necessarily looming. This is however a serious situation and will likely have a big effect on the world due to how interconnected we are. Countries will continue to monitor this conflict, and attempt to prevent escalation, but don’t start stocking up your bunker yet!
By E. Clarke- Year 8