US-Iran tensions raise world war risk across five crisis flashpoints: analysis

WASHINGTON, United States — A US-based analysis has warned that the conflict between the United States and Iran could escalate into a global war, as five separate crisis flashpoints in Ukraine, the Middle East, Yemen, Lebanon and Taiwan become increasingly intertwined. According to a report published in Newsweek, the Houthis continue to disrupt maritime traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, while intermittent US strikes on Iran-linked targets persist, leaving the Strait of Hormuz under mounting pressure. Tehran maintains its right to control shipping through Hormuz, and US officials say a diplomatic option remains on the table, though disruptions to oil and liquefied natural gas flows are pushing up insurance and freight costs and deepening global inflation. Iraq risks becoming a new front line as Iran-backed groups step up attacks on US forces, with Washington bolstering its military presence to protect coalition operations in the Kurdistan Region. The report assesses that Russia, China and North Korea could supply Iran with defense systems, combat drones, electronic equipment and intelligence support, while Beijing may seek to block US efforts to legitimize military operations on the diplomatic stage. It also projects that Moscow could launch a large-scale offensive in Ukraine and that China could intensify a maritime blockade or military pressure on Taiwan. US and allied forces could face the challenge of conducting simultaneous operations across multiple theaters, with cyberattacks, sabotage and intelligence operations further expanding the scope of the conflict, according to the report.