By Dr. Adnan Bozan

At the dawn of this day, in a moment that seemed to emerge straight out of apocalyptic prophecies, the spark that might mark the beginning of World War III was ignited—not from Europe as per classical strategic expectations, but from the heart of the Middle East: from its volatile deserts, its blazing mountains, and its blood- and gas-soaked borders steeped in myth and legend.

The spark was first lit days ago, when Iran and Israel exchanged unprecedented missile and aerial strikes, both in intensity and geographic scope. But what occurred in the past few hours represents a dangerous and irreversible escalation: the United States declared full support for Israel and began mobilizing its naval and air units from Bahrain, Qatar, and its Mediterranean bases toward the Gulf—an apparent prelude to a large-scale, open conflict.

But what makes this conflict a potential trigger for a third world war?
Let us read a bit beneath the surface of the flames and smoke.

1. From Bilateral Clash to Multipolar Conflagration

World wars do not begin with a single strike—they erupt when the architecture of international balance collapses. In our current case, what we are witnessing is not merely an Iran-Israel confrontation, but the implosion of an old world order, now incapable of containing its deep structural contradictions.

Iran—burdened by sanctions, encircled by U.S. influence, and entangled in nuclear and regional security issues—is now deploying all its assets: missiles, influence, and non-state allies, in response to what it considers Israel’s “persistent aggression against its sovereignty and vital sphere.”

Israel—surrounded by burning fronts from Gaza to Lebanon and Syria—sees this as a war of survival, especially with the growing regional alliances of Tehran and the spread of its armed proxies.

The direct involvement of the United States is the pivotal event that has transformed the conflict into a truly international affair. Any direct U.S. strike on Iran will not go unanswered—not only by Tehran, but also by its global allies: Russia, China, North Korea, and possibly even certain European factions torn between economic interests and NATO commitments.

1. The Middle East – Arena of Global Score-Settling

The Middle East has long been a theater for proxy wars, but the current conflict is qualitatively different:

• Russia, locked in an open confrontation with the West in Ukraine, will not remain idle while its ally Iran is subjected to direct U.S.-Israeli bombardment—especially if regime change is the objective, as seen in Iraq and Libya.
• China, closely watching U.S. movements in Asia, may see this war as a strategic opportunity to weaken American naval dominance and perhaps launch a surprise offensive on Taiwan while Washington is distracted on multiple fronts.
• North Korea, eager for a seat at the global table, may exploit this chaos for new nuclear tests or even launch long-range missiles toward Japan or South Korea.
• The Gulf states find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place: some are directly involved in the regional conflict with Iran (like Saudi Arabia and the UAE), while others walk a tightrope between Washington and Tehran—fearing a slip that could plunge the region into irreversible disaster.

III. The End of the Era of “Limited Strikes”

The recent exchange of strikes was neither symbolic nor merely deterrent, as had been the norm. Instead, they targeted strategically sensitive objectives:

• Sovereign military bases
• Nuclear research centers
• Strategic weapons depots
• Vital civilian infrastructure (such as ports and power stations)

This new pattern of confrontation dismantles the traditional deterrence framework and ushers the parties into the logic of total war—where there is no longer a point of return. Each strike now triggers exponential escalation, not retreat.

1. The New Weapons of the Coming War

Even if it lasts only a few days, this war may become the most devastating in modern human history—not solely because of its nuclear potential, but due to the wide variety of modern destructive tools:

• Comprehensive cyber warfare: targeting banks, power grids, satellites, and dismantling states’ digital infrastructure.
• Advanced psychological/media warfare: shaping public consciousness moment by moment through artificial intelligence and media platforms funded and managed for propaganda and subversive purposes.
• Crippling economic warfare: global economic collapse, skyrocketing oil prices, and markets tumbling into simultaneous waves of inflation, recession, and breakdown.

1. The World After the War... If a World Remains

In the most pessimistic scenario, several Middle Eastern states may collapse into chaos resembling what happened in Syria, Iraq, and Libya—but at a far more accelerated pace, as this time central states like Iran, Israel, and perhaps even Turkey are involved.

Should nuclear weapons be used—even limited “tactical bombs” in the Gulf, Ukraine, or the South China Sea—we would enter a “post-human era,” where international law dissolves, diplomatic norms crumble, and the world turns into a landscape of terror and individual survival.

The most realistic short-term scenario is a partial collapse of the international order and the emergence of new alliances outside the traditional Western system:
The United States may partially withdraw from the Middle East, exhausted; Russia may emerge defeated but defiant; and China may rise as the force redrawing the geopolitical map of the world.

1. Is There Any Chance to Back Down?

The realistic answer: Almost none.

The world has passed the point of no return—not merely due to recklessness, but because the internal calculations of each party no longer allow retreat:

• The United States, after Trump’s re-election, has adopted a strict offensive doctrine aimed at restoring “American deterrence prestige” worldwide. Any retreat would be seen as a strategic setback against China and Russia.
• Iran, having lost its most important ally in Damascus and with Hezbollah forced to withdraw from the Lebanese scene after a crippling blow, now views its battle with Israel and the U.S. as an existential one—especially after the failure of all backchannel de-escalation efforts.
• Israel no longer trusts any future guarantees, especially after the collapse of the Syrian regime and the fragmentation of the traditional “Axis of Resistance.” It sees the current moment as a unique opportunity to eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all.
• Russia and China, having endured years of encirclement and attrition through sanctions and proxy wars, do not view this regional explosion as a threat, but rather as a historic moment to reshape the global balance of power—even at a high cost.

Given these alignments and positions, diplomacy no longer has a place. The language of negotiations has been assassinated, and all channels of mediation have fallen silent.
Now, only the battlefield speaks—and what it says can only be translated into the language of blood and devastation.

VII. Psychological and Informational Warfare – The Invisible Weapon That Determines the Outcome

In an age where “truth” is shaped on screens rather than battlefields, the media war has become one of the most dangerous tools of domination and destruction in this conflict. Before the fighter jets took off, digital armies had already begun their assault:

• Media disinformation: Every side promotes its own narrative, manufactures its own “facts,” and reshapes public consciousness to serve its interests.
• Cyberattacks: Banking systems crippled, navigation networks taken down, hospitals disabled, and panic spread in a systematic manner.
• Artificial intelligence as a hidden combatant: Tools that fabricate fake news, analyze public opinion, and steer popular sentiment to benefit the dominant force.

What is most alarming is that this war is being waged more against civilian populations than against armies—fronts collapse from within before the first air raid sirens are even heard.

VIII. The Arab States – Between Escaping Hell and Slipping into It

The Arab states now find themselves in a critical existential moment: on one hand, they are part of global influence maps; on the other, they are mired in deep internal structural crises. Most are unprepared to bear the consequences of a major world war.

• Iraq: Likely to be the first arena of Iranian expansion or retaliation via allied militias.
• Syria: No longer the Iranian stronghold it once was for over a decade. With the collapse of the Assad regime and the disintegration of official military structures, the country has become a geopolitical vacuum contested by regional and local forces without a central decision-maker. Iran’s presence has shrunk into scattered pockets, costing Tehran one of its most vital regional deterrent platforms.
• Lebanon: Is witnessing the effective collapse of Hezbollah as a central combat force, following a series of military, financial, and societal blows. The south is no longer an active front, and Beirut is no longer a stage for open warfare—it has become a fragile zone at the heart of a storm, vulnerable to chaos or political assassinations, but no longer part of a coherent resistance front.
• The Gulf states: Are exposed to direct retaliatory strikes, whether on oil facilities or vital infrastructure.
• Egypt and Jordan: Are in a precarious position, torn between peace treaty obligations and public pressure opposing any alignment.

Unless these states exhibit high levels of wisdom and joint defensive coordination, they risk becoming chess pieces in a war they neither started nor have the means to stop.

1. Turkey – Teetering Between Imperial Dreams and Regional Hell

Turkey today finds itself in a strategically complex position:

• It is a NATO ally but maintains a tactical relationship with Russia.
• It opposes Iranian policies but fears a power vacuum if the Tehran regime collapses.
• It seeks dominance over northern Syria and Iraq but dreads being dragged into a multi-front war.

If it joins the war militarily on the side of the U.S. or Israel, it will face fierce retaliation from Tehran and its proxies. But if it chooses neutrality, it risks losing its regional role to other powers.

Most likely, Ankara will adopt a double-edged gray role: supporting some operations behind the scenes while publicly positioning itself as a mediator, all while massing troops on its southern border in anticipation of a full-blown explosion.

1. Europe – The Anxious Bystander in Economic Crisis

The European Union is undergoing deep internal division:

• France and Germany: Are working to prevent another war after the disastrous experience in Ukraine.
• Britain and Poland: Are pushing for unconditional support for Israel and the United States.

Any direct European involvement would trigger:

• A new and unprecedented wave of refugees from the Middle East.
• A dramatic surge in energy prices, potentially plunging Europe into prolonged economic recession.
• A rising threat of terrorist operations or cyberattacks on major cities.

Thus, Europe’s position is fragile and hesitant, with limited capacity to withstand the pressures emerging from the convergence of fire and clashing interests.

1. Israel – Between Survival and Strategic Suicide

Israel is currently engaged in its most dangerous existential war:

• On one hand, it seeks to eliminate the growing Iranian threat and dismantle Tehran’s armed proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah, Popular Mobilization Forces, etc.).
• On the other, it faces an unprecedented internal crisis: political fragmentation, economic suffocation, and social disintegration.

If strategic facilities like Dimona or long-range missile systems are targeted, Israel may resort to the “Samson Option”: destroy the region before being destroyed.

That scenario, as catastrophic as it is, is no longer far-fetched amid the unchecked escalation.

XII. Russia – From Ukraine to the Gulf

Russia, exhausted by the war in Ukraine, sees any American attempt to topple the Iranian regime as a direct threat:

• Because it would lose one of its most important allies.
• And because it would effectively be pushed out of the Gulf and the broader Middle East.

While Moscow may not intervene militarily in Iran, it could resort to opening alternative fronts:

• Escalating the war in Ukraine.
• Igniting tensions in the Balkans.
• Supplying Iran with advanced defense systems and strategic deterrence tools.

Whatever the case, Russia will not allow a clear American victory—and will play every card it has to reimpose a "balance of terror."

XIII. China – The Silent Beneficiary That May Suddenly Strike

China is watching closely—but not idly. It awaits the moment when Washington is entangled on multiple fronts to make decisive moves:

• Seizing Taiwan or imposing a new maritime reality.
• Gaining control over the South China Sea and global trade routes.
• Undermining dollar dominance and reshaping the global economy.

Beijing may also economically support Iran and deepen its intelligence and military cooperation with Moscow—hoping to redefine the global balance of power in favor of the East.

XIV. Nuclear Deterrence Scenarios – Is the “Button” Within Reach?

The greatest danger in this war is not troop numbers—but nuclear warheads. What if:

• Israel bombs Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility?
• Iran retaliates by targeting Dimona?
• Russia uses a tactical nuclear bomb in Ukraine?
• North Korea enters the war and launches long-range ballistic missiles?

Even a single use of nuclear weapons—on a limited scale—would break the global taboo and open the door to an unstoppable arms race or collective annihilation.

1. Are We Witnessing a Redrawing of the World Map?

This war will not end with the signing of a treaty, but with the collapse of entire systems:

• The nation-state, as we know it, may lose its meaning in several regions.
• International alliances will be restructured completely—and “America First” may be replaced by “America Last.”
• The geopolitical map will be redrawn in blood, not ink.
• Humanity itself will be the victim—not just in death, but in the collapse of meaning, belonging, and trust.

Consequences of World War III: From the Collapse of the Old Order to the Birth of a New Cosmic System

1. The End of Poles... and the Collapse of the Old International Order
At the end of this war, the world will no longer recognize “political polarity.” Neither the American, Russian, nor even Chinese poles will emerge victorious as in traditional wars.

Instead, major transformations will occur as follows:

• The disintegration of the concept of "superpower": Each power will be drained on its own front, unable to lead the world alone.

• The rise of a post-polar system: A fragmented world divided into economic and cultural blocs, intersecting not based on military power but on technological, environmental, and demographic grounds.

• The fall of the Western liberal order: Having exhausted its moral legitimacy by using sanctions and wars as diplomatic tools, the West will enter a post-hegemonic phase, retreating inward.

This marks the end of the “Age of Empires” and the beginning of the “Era of Networks” and parallel worlds built beyond traditional geography and sovereignty.

2. From Neoliberalism to a Global Digital Socialism
After the global economy suffers widespread collapse, it will enter a new phase based on collective survival rather than individual profit. Following the disintegration of markets, supply chain disruptions, and stock market crashes, the world will seek a system of greater justice and stability.

Key features include:

• The emergence of digital socialism: Wealth regulation and resource distribution via AI systems, with consumption framed by “ethical consumption” principles.

• Re-nationalization of vital sectors: Energy, food, healthcare, and water will return to state control after free markets proved incapable of managing crises.

• The rise of quasi-communist digital governments: Not based on Marxist ideology, but on software that governs, plans, and executes without corruption or politicization.

The savage market economy will be buried, giving birth to a collective rationality aimed at saving humanity from itself.

3. A Unified Digital Currency... and the End of the Dollar
One of the most consequential transformations will take place in the global financial structure:

• The collapse of the dollar as a reserve currency: Triggered by the loss of trust in the U.S. Federal Reserve and the weaponization of sanctions.

• The rise of a unified planetary digital currency: Potentially issued by a new global financial authority or an international alliance led by China and Russia, possibly managed in a decentralized blockchain-based system.

• This currency will become the standard for global exchange, ending national currency dominance over markets.

This is the fall of monetary sovereignty—and the dawn of a borderless digital financial hegemony.

4. The Disintegration of Traditional Religions and the Rise of a "Unified Abrahamic Faith"
The war has not only ravaged geography—it has struck metaphysics at its core. The three monotheistic religions will face an existential earthquake:

• The failure of traditional religious discourse to contain hatred or prevent massacres will lead to a collapse in the credibility of religious institutions.

• The fall of sectarianism and denominationalism, as borders dissolve, populations are displaced, and local identities erode.

• The emergence of a “Unified Abrahamic Religion”: Not as a traditional faith, but as a unifying philosophical and spiritual vision supported by global powers to symbolically restore peace after the collapse.

This faith may evolve into a “universal moral reference,” replacing Sharia, the Church, and the Rabbinate alike.

5. The Transformation of Humanity: From Citizen to Networked Being
Post-war humanity will be fundamentally altered:

• The collapse of “national citizenship” in favor of “network identity,” where individuals belong to transnational digital communities.

• The transformation into a digital-metaphysical being: Living between reality and augmented reality, searching for meaning after the annihilation of values.

• A redefinition of the human: Is the human now political? Digital? Ethical? Programmed? Or merely a survivor of the void?

We will witness a moment of humanity reinventing itself—philosophically, ethically, and technologically.

6. The Beginning of the "Post-Earth Age" – Toward a Space Civilization
Perhaps one of the greatest outcomes of this war:

• The acceleration of space colonization projects: Mars is no longer science fiction but a strategic refuge for those fleeing Earth.

• The development of off-planet survival technologies: Subsurface planetary cities, closed-loop food systems, and satellite-based communication networks.

• The emergence of the "Stellar Human" philosophy: One who no longer sees Earth as a homeland, but as a launchpad for the conscious being’s journey through the cosmos.

Conclusion: A War That Could No Longer Be Avoided?
At the moment missiles rained down on Tehran and Tel Aviv, the war did not merely begin—it likely buried all previous attempts at peace for good. World War III was not a sudden event, but the inevitable result of decades of postponed hatred, conflicting interests, and a global order built on deception and domination.

The question now is no longer:
“Has the war begun?”
But rather:
“Who will survive it—and is what remains of this world even worth surviving?”