The War That Is Reordering the World: Our on the USA-Israel Attack on Iran and the New Global Chessboard

The War That Is Reordering the World: Our View on the U.S.–Israel Attack on Iran and the New Global Chessboard

The joint offensive launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, 2026, is not just another episode in the long history of Middle Eastern tensions. It is a turning point. In just a few days, the region has entered a spiral of attacks and counterattacks that now affects more than nine countries, has shut down air routes, disrupted humanitarian corridors, and placed the world in front of a scenario many believed buried: the real possibility of a global war.

The magnitude of the initial strike was unprecedented. Israel and the United States attacked 24 of Iran’s 31 provinces simultaneously, hitting military installations, command centers, and, most importantly, the core of the regime. The death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, confirmed by multiple sources, left Iran under the control of an Interim Leadership Council and opened a political vacuum the country had not experienced since 1979. Alongside him, key figures of the military and intelligence apparatus were killed, including Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi and Defense Minister Amir Nazirzadeh.

Iran’s response was immediate. Missiles and drones were launched against U.S. bases and targets in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman. Even Cyprus where the United Kingdom maintains a military base was hit by an Iranian drone. Turkey shot down a missile that entered its airspace. The war ceased to be bilateral from the very first day.

Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply flows was effectively paralyzed. The closure, announced by the Revolutionary Guard, has triggered a domino effect across air, maritime, and humanitarian routes. The United Nations warns that the crisis is “expanding by the hour,” with damage to hospitals, schools, and civilian infrastructure in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.

In this context, I believe the United States had been preparing for a scenario like this for months. One of the most strategic moves though many did not see it that way at the time was its renewed engagement with Venezuela. Washington knew that a conflict with Iran could compromise global energy supply. It knew that if Hormuz were shut down, the world would need alternative sources of crude. And it knew that, despite its devastated infrastructure after nearly three decades of looting and neglect, Venezuela still holds the largest proven oil reserves on the planet.

It is no coincidence that the U.S. pushed for a “controlled transition” in Caracas before this war erupted. It is no coincidence that sanctions were eased, diplomatic channels reopened, and efforts made to stabilize Venezuela’s oil sector. It was a preventive move: securing an energy lifeline in the event of a major shock in the Middle East.

Today, with the Gulf under fire, Venezuela is once again strategically important for the West. But it is also vulnerable. If Iran decides to expand its asymmetric warfare, it would not be unthinkable to see sabotage attempts against Venezuelan oil infrastructure—especially considering the historical ties between Tehran, Hezbollah, and certain sectors of the Maduro regime. It would not be the first time external actors have used Venezuelan territory for training or logistical operations. And in a conflict where every actor seeks to strike where it hurts most, Venezuela could become an indirect target to punish the United States.

Meanwhile, China and Russia watch from the sidelines. They condemn the attacks but do not intervene. They do not want a world war, but neither do they want a strong United States. A weakened Washington suits them, just as a weakened Europe suited them during the war in Ukraine. Iran, for them, is a useful card—not an ally to be saved. And that ambiguity is perhaps the most dangerous element of the current geopolitical landscape.

Europe, for its part, has been pulled into the conflict. France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and NATO have activated protection mechanisms for Cyprus and for their bases across the region. The war is no longer a Middle Eastern issue; it is a Euro-Atlantic one.

The question many are asking is whether we are facing a third world war or a new cold war. I believe we are in an intermediate stage: a global hybrid war, with multiple fronts, diffuse actors, and unpredictable consequences. A war in which energy is once again the central weapon. A war in which Venezuela, despite its internal collapse, finds itself playing a role it did not ask for but that the world now imposes on it.

What is happening is not an isolated episode. It is the reordering of the international system. And when the world is being reordered, some countries always pay a higher price than others.