 "Fformer US President Donald Trump has claimed the world is on the brink. Reuters")
The Iran and Israel conflict has raised concerns about the possibility of World War III breaking out.
Social media, particularly X, is rife with such posts – both in India and around the world.
Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump has also warned that the world is on the brink of chaos.
“Now, war, or the threat of war, is raging everywhere, and the two incompetent people running our country… are leading us to the brink of World War III,” Trump wrote on social media.
“This is what the policies of weakness and appeasement have brought to the world,” he added.
But what is the possibility that World War III could break out?
Let’s take a closer look:
What are they saying?
Trump has sought to portray himself as an ally of Israel.
“The world is on fire and spiralling out of control. We have no leadership, no one running the country. We have a non-existent president in Joe Biden, and a completely absent Vice-President Kamala Harris, who is too busy fundraising in San Francisco,” Trump said moments after Iran fired over 200 missiles at Israel.
“No one is in charge and it is not even clear who is more confused: Biden or Kamala. Neither has any idea what is even going on,” Trump added.
“When I was president, Iran was in total check. They were starved for cash, fully contained, and desperate to make a deal. Kamala flooded them with American cash and, ever since, they have been exporting terror all over,” he said.
“Under ‘President Trump,’ we had no war in the Middle East, no war in Europe, and Harmony in Asia, no inflation, no Afghanistan catastrophe. Instead, we had peace. Now, war or the threat of war is raging everywhere and the two incompetents running this country are leading us to the brink of World War III. You would not trust Joe or Kamala to run a lemonade stand, let alone lead the free world,” he added.
He previously claimed the Jews would be to blame if he doesn’t win the upcoming presidential election.
“Anybody who’s Jewish and loves being Jewish and loves Israel is a fool if they vote for a Democrat,” Trump said. “You should have your head examined.”
Ironically, the administration of US president Joe Biden has been incredibly supportive of Israel before and since the October 7 Hamas attack.
Iran’s official Fars news agency said the missile attack was a response to Israel’s assassination last week of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah as well as the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
“In response to the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah and [Deputy Commander of Operations for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Brigadier General Abbas] Nilforoshan, we targeted the heart of the occupied territories,” the IRGC said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned that Iran had made a huge mistake and would pay for it.
“Iran made a big mistake tonight – and it will pay for it,” Netanyahu said. “The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies … They will understand.”
What is Israel planning?
There are reports that Israel is looking to hit Iranian oil refineries as a response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack.
Axios reported that Israel is eyeing a ‘significant attack’ against Iran in response to Tuesday’s ballistic missile attack.
Tel Aviv is considering all options against Tehran – including nuclear weapons.
“We have a big question mark about how the Iranians are going to respond to an attack, but we take into consideration the possibility that they would go all in, which will be a whole different ball game,” an Israeli official told the website.
Israel wants to coordinate its plans with the United States, as per Axios.
_Times of Israel r_eported that Netanyahu is expected to hold a meeting on Wednesday to determine the response.
Israel’s politicians seem to be lining up behind Netanyahu.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday released a statement saying, The ayatollahs’ regime has crossed the red line — and the State of Israel will not be silent in the face of Iran’s criminal attack on our citizens.”
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on X. “Iran has not learned a simple lesson — those who attack the State of Israel, pay a heavy price.”
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, too, said in a statement Wednesday morning that “the response must be harsh, and send a clear message to the entire axis: Iran, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.”
Ex-prime minister Naftali Bennett went even further telling CNN this is a “once in a 50-year opportunity.”
“We need to take out Iran’s nuclear program, we need to attack Iran’s energy facilities, and we need to attack the regime itself, right away,” Bennett said.
“It’s time to hit, destroy the nuclear program, and finally allow the Iranian people to rise up — the amazing Iranian people, who have one of the worst regimes on earth,” he said.
What is Washington doing?
Washington too is preparing for what comes next.
The White House said Biden, Harris and their national security advisers all met “to discuss Iranian plans to imminently launch a significant ballistic missile attack against Israel.”
They “reviewed the status of US preparations to help Israel defend against these attacks and protect US personnel in the region,” the statement read.
Biden said the matter was undere “active discussion” and that the consequences for Tehran “remain to be seen.”
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan too warned of consequences.
“There will be severe consequences for this attack and we will work with Israel to make that the case,” Sullivan said.
He added that the US would have “ongoing consultations with the Israelis this afternoon and this evening.”
National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said Biden and Harris were “monitoring the Iranian attack against Israel from the White House Situation Room & receiving regular updates from their national security team. [Biden] directed the US military to aid Israel’s defence against Iranian attacks & shoot down missiles targeting Israel.”
India has warned its citizens to avoid travelling to Iran unless absolutely necessary.
“We are closely monitoring the recent escalation in the security situation in the region. Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran. Those currently residing in Iran are requested to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
With inputs from agencies