Has World War 3 begun? As Iran-Israel conflict escalates with strikes by US on nuclear sites, know the signs and who can declare it

The world today is facing a time as conflicts and war have grown globally in the past few years. On one side, the Russia-Ukraine war shows no sign of ending. On the other hand, the situation between Israel and Iran is getting worse by the day. This has raised a big question in people’s minds. Has World War 3 already begun? If so, how will we even know?

A world war is a large-scale conflict in which many of the world’s major countries are involved, either directly or indirectly. In human history, there have been two such wars — World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Both started with a single event but gradually pulled the entire world into chaos.

Unlike in the past, the next world war may not begin with an official announcement. Today’s wars can happen silently through cyber attacks, economic sanctions, terrorism, and high-tech weapons. That means people might not even realise at first that they are living in a war-like situation.

There are some possible signs. If wars start in multiple places at once, it could be the start of something global. A nuclear attack by any country would be a clear warning of large-scale war.

Increased cyber attacks on banks, airports, satellites, and power systems would be another major signal. If global trade starts breaking down and essential items like oil or food become too expensive or scarce, the world could already be entering World War 3.

Right now, many parts of the world are facing war-like situations. Russia and Ukraine are still fighting, and Israel-Iran tensions are rising. All these events are slowly pushing the world closer to a global conflict.

There won’t be a siren or an announcement. But when you see multiple conflicts at once, rising global restrictions, and sudden emergency conditions, it could mean that World War 3 has already begun.