By: Atharava Pandey
Sports Editor
The Feb. 28 attack on Iran has completely changed the outlook of global politics and the economy. After the U.S. and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran, Iran responded with missile and drone strikes of its own, striking various targets in the Middle East such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Various airports in the region are also closed, and the airspace is now unsafe to fly over. Overall, this war has caused massive changes in the lives of civilians worldwide, showing that this extends far beyond simply the countries involved in the violence.
After the initial attack, Iran has retaliated to the best of its ability. Israeli and regional officials report that Iran has fired more than 180 ballistic missiles toward Israel, while hundreds of additional drones and missiles have targeted locations across the entire Middle East since the conflict began. These strikes have mainly targeted locations linked to U.S. forces, such as the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, as well as bases in Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq. Iran has also attacked major civilian targets in Israel. More specifically, a missile carrying a cluster warhead killed two civilians in the city of Yehud, while more than 2000 Israelis have been wounded in the Iranian missile attacks.
This war has also intensified Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel. From southern Lebanon, Hezbollah has now begun to launch rockets, missiles, and drones, triggering air raid sirens across northern Israel. In addition, Hamas, the terrorist group responsible for the infamous Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has also publicly voiced its support for Iran by condemning Israel’s Zionist attack on the Islamic Republic.
The conflict among Israel, Iran, and the U.S. is going to have strong repercussions on the global economy. For example, Qatar, one of the countries affected by this conflict, produces around 40% of the world’s helium, which is used in semiconductor production. However, one of the main resources affected by this conflict is energy. Around a quarter of the Earth’s oil goes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow strait that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, which ultimately culminates in the Indian Ocean. Unsurprisingly, oil and gas prices have spiked as a result of this. In fact, the conflict affects many other countries in the world as well. India imports around 40% of its oil through this strait, so the conflict will prompt the government there to develop alternative solutions.
Although President Trump commented on Mar. 9 that the war in Iran is close to ending, Iranian officials have publicly stated they will be the ones to decide when it is over. The Iranian war will continue to have significant effects on a global level.
(Sources: AJC, Chatham House)