Written by Alice Njoki
Over the past few days, you may have seen videos, headlines, or social media posts talking about the rising tensions in the middle east between Israel,United States (US) and Iran war. Some people are even asking if this could lead to a third world war. But what is really happening, and how did this start?
The conflict began when Israel with support from the United States(US) carried out airstrikes and missile strikes inside Iran. Israeli leaders said the strikes were targeting military sites and facilities connected to Iran’s weapons programs of developing a nuclear weapon. According to them, the goal was to reduce what they see as a growing security threat.
And in these attacks, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed, along with several top Iranian officials. Iran’s state media confirmed his death after the strikes, saying it happened in Tehran while he was at work.
Iran strongly condemned the attacks and responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and toward U.S. military bases in the region. Some of these were intercepted, while others caused damage and injuries. Since then, both sides have continued exchanging strikes, and tensions remain high and have moved the conflict beyond just two countries and dragged in forces and locations across the Middle East. Countries like Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have seen missiles and drones fly over or be intercepted, forcing governments to raise alerts and civilians to take shelter.
Right now, hundreds of people have been killed in this conflict. Iranian health and aid organisations report that in Iran alone, more than 1000 people have died since the strikes began, and many of them were civilians including children. Some reports also mention airstrikes hitting schools and families caught in the crossfire.
The fighting has spread to other groups too. Hezbollah, an armed group in Lebanon that is allied with Iran, has launched rockets toward Israel in support of Iran, and Israel has responded with strikes in parts of Lebanon.
Because missiles and drones have flown across the skies of several countries, leaders around the world are warning that the conflict could grow even bigger. Some people online, especially on platforms like TikTok, are saying this might lead to something like World War III. However, experts explain that a world war would involve many nations directly fighting in different parts of the world. Right now, this war is mainly centred on Iran, Israel, and the United States, even though its effects are being felt by many countries in the region.