The United States Air Force and Navy conducted air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, reportedly ‘obliterating’ Iran’s nuclear program on the 22nd of June 2025. The U.S. air strikes follow recent escalation in conflict between Iran and Israel, the latter also striking Iranian nuclear sites and regime leadership earlier this month and back in October of 2024. This latest escalation gives cause for concern on the potential implications of all out war in the Middle East and damage to the global economy.

As Thomas Mackintosh and Nadine Yousif have found, this latest crisis has serious implications on international peace and security. The authors note, Iran could “retaliate hard and fast. Iran still has a substantial arsenal of ballistic missiles after manufacturing and hiding these away for years. It has a target list of around 20 US bases to choose from in the broader Middle East. It could also launch "swarm attacks" on US Navy warships using drones and fast torpedo boats. [Iran could also] retaliate later at a time of its own choosing. This would mean waiting until the current tension has subsided and launching a surprise attack when US bases were no longer on maximum alert”. (BBC.2025) This latest crisis puts U.S. military bases and citizens at risk of retaliation from the Iran regime, without steadfast peace negotiations, de-escalation and mediation efforts, the conflict could draw the U.S. and allies into yet another long-term military intervention in the Middle East, a somewhat perpetual feature of U.S. Foreign policy in the 21st century.

The Iran-Israel War also has major implications on the global economy, inflation and trade. The Strait of Hormuz, the only sea passage between the Persian Gulf and open ocean is partly controlled by Iran, who have voted to block its passage. As Antony Blair finds “Iran’s parliament has voted to close the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping channel through which around 20% of the world’s daily oil flows … It will come into effect pending a final decision by Iran’s Supreme Council.” (New York Post.2025) As Blair notes, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has serious implications on the petroleum industry, distributing a fifth of global oil supply. This may prove to be devastating to global markets. Oil is tied to almost every industry on the planet, this could cause inflation, rising food costs, rising petrol prices and the potential for major conflict to arise in this region of the Middle East.

The Iran-Israel War puts international peace and security in serious jeopardy. If Iran retaliates in a major way, it could spiral into an all-out war in the Middle East, with the potential for further intervention from the United States and others. The time is now for diplomats and world leaders to be resolute in bringing the conflict to an end through mediation and de-escalation measures.