Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stark warning to Tehran’s leadership, vowing that any attack on Israel would be met with “a force that Iran has never seen before”. The declaration comes as tensions in the Middle East reach a dangerous new peak, fuelled by a volatile mix of nationwide protests in the Islamic fundamentalist republic, the arrival of a massive US aircraft carrier strike group, and bellicose rhetoric from Washington.

The prospect of World War 3 has shifted from a distant anxiety to an immediate geopolitical concern. Military experts warn that a major war in the Middle East could ignite a global conflagration by drawing in world powers through alliance commitments.

Disruption to critical energy supplies could collapse global economies, while escalatory strikes on international shipping routes and cyber infrastructure could pull in additional nations far beyond the immediate region.

Mr Netanyahu’s comments formed part of a wide-ranging press conference in which he also marked the return of the final hostages from Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu said: “To the regime in Tehran, I say clearly: Do not test our resolve. If Iran makes the grave mistake of attacking Israel, we will respond with a force that Iran has never seen before.

“We are prepared for any scenario, and we are acting in full coordination with our allies, but the State of Israel will always maintain the right and the power to defend itself by itself.”

The Prime Minister also highlighted his close coordination with President Donald Trump. Netanyahu said: “I want to thank President Trump and his team for their unwavering support. I report fully to the President, and he to me. We see the ‘head of the octopus’ in Tehran for what it is. The era of hesitation is over.”

President Trump escalated the rhetoric during a speech in Clive, Iowa, on Tuesday, where he referenced ongoing US military movements. Mr Trump said: “By the way, there’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now.

“So, we’ll see. I hope they make a deal.” He added that Iran “should have made a deal the first time,” referencing the June 2025 strikes on nuclear facilities—known as Operation Midnight Hammer—which he claimed destroyed Iran’s nuclear capacity.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, accompanied by guided-missile destroyers, arrived in the Middle East earlier this week. 

Mr Trump has framed the move as defensive, arguing that the ships were positioned “just in case” action is needed, with red lines including the mass execution of detainees from the current unrest.

This unrest has turned Iran into a powder keg. Protests erupted on December 28, 2025, sparked by the collapse of the rial to 1.5 million to the dollar. Human rights agencies report over 6,200 deaths and 42,300 arrests amid a near-total internet blackout.

The regional “Axis of Resistance” shows signs of fracture, yet remains dangerous. In Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah leader Ahmad “Abu Hussein” al-Hamidawi said: “We affirm to the enemies that the war on the Republic will not be a picnic; rather, you will taste the bitterest forms of death, and nothing will remain of you in our region.”

With military assets converging and rhetoric hardening, the region teeters on the edge of escalation. Mr Netanyahu’s vow and Mr Trump’s “beautiful armada” underscore how quickly local unrest could spiral into a wider conflict that reverberates globally.