Geopolitics expert Noah Smith has warned that the world stands closer to the brink of World War 3 than at any point in modern memory, likening today's flashpoints to the tense years before the Second World War. In a stark blog post published on March 9, 2026, Smith argues that recent US-Israeli strikes decapitating Iran's leadership in Operation Epic Fury are accelerating a dangerous slide towards catastrophe, even if global meltdown isn't around the corner.
