My article titled “Are We Already in World War-2.5?” was published in Daily Times, Pakistan, on October 31, 2022. In that article, I argued that the world is already experiencing a form of global conflict, termed “World War-2.5”, infested with numerous ongoing wars and conflicts across various regions. I included the prolonged wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, and the Russia-Ukraine wars as evidence of this global state of warfare. I had suggested that these wars and conflicts, while not constituting a traditional world war, collectively impact nearly half of the world’s population, either directly or indirectly.
I also highlighted the limitations of military power in achieving decisive victories, noting that many of these conflicts have become protracted due to the inability of even the most advanced military forces to secure clear outcomes. I emphasised the need for diplomatic efforts to prevent these conflicts from escalating into a full-scale world war.
However, the global stakeholders did not give much importance to my opinion at the time, and now we have reached a level of ‘WW 2.5 Plus.’ The situation is ripe to expand horizontally and vertically if Iran-Israel continues the way the Russia-Ukraine war has gone.
Indo-Israeli defence and intelligence cooperation runs deep, encompassing the research and development of disruptive technologies, intelligence sharing, hardware supplies, operational planning, and training.
The situation is complex and uncertain. The line comparison of Iran and Israel’s armed forces will not give an accurate picture of their capabilities. While Israel has a superior and organised armed forces, thanks to the outright support of the US, Iran has invested in missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles in the past two decades. Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons remains uncertain because the country has not pulled out of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and continues to comply with IAEA inspections.
Israel undertook massive attacks on Iran’s counterforce and countervalue on June 13, 2025. It succeeded in eliminating several high-ranking military officials, including the Commander of the Armed Forces and the Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Israel also eliminated several nuclear scientists who were instrumental in the development of Iran’s nuclear programme. The elimination of top military leaders and the atomic scientists was not possible without precise intelligence information from the insiders. Now that Iranian agencies have done the scanning and screening, they have arrested some 73 potential defaulters. The media reports suggest that the majority of these persons are of Indian origin.
India-Israel intelligence collaboration is not a surprise. This news, if correct, should also not surprise us because a few years back, Qatar also apprehended and sentenced several Indian personnel who were working in the country’s military establishments and spying for Israel. However, India, through its persuasive diplomacy, was able to secure the release of its people from Qatar.
Indo-Israeli defence and intelligence cooperation runs deep, encompassing the research and development of disruptive technologies, intelligence sharing, hardware supplies, operational planning, and training. When this network was being employed against Pakistan, most of the regional states did not care, including Iran. However, I am confident that Pakistan will not be happy about the news that the Indo-Israeli nexus has harmed Iran and its military leadership.
Back to recent events, which have led to an all-out war between Iran and Israel. One, Israel initiated it because, in its assessment, Iran was very close to declaring itself a nuclear weapons state. Two, Iran has only responded to Israel’s initial attacks through its very own missile and drone capabilities. Three, the entire Western world, led by the US and UK, is supporting Israel’s decision to attack Iran. Four, the Arab world has only condemned the Israeli attacks on Iranian cities. Five, the UN remains ineffective, like always.
Therefore, the situation is complex, uncertain, and precarious. Paradoxically, it is now or never for both. If one accepts Israel’s claim that it has only acted preemptively before Iran’s nuclear programme reached the point of no return, then one should know that Israel’s first strike was not as successful as initially claimed. And, in return, Israel may have prompted Iran to accelerate its efforts to go nuclear much before it had planned, if it did.
Please recall Pakistan’s example. India first carried out its atomic tests in 1974. Pakistan, fearing an existential threat from India, started to develop its nuclear programme; however, the country did not test its capability until India again carried out the nuclear tests in 1998. Now, Pakistan could not keep silent, and the government demonstrated its capability with an even greater number of tests within weeks.
I maintain that humanity faces the challenge of its survival and sustainability due to the madness of a handful of insane leaders across the globe. May Allah forgive and protect humankind regardless of race and religion, Ameen.
The writer of this article has authored three international books: “Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan” “South Asia Needs Hybrid Peace” and “Understanding Sun Tzu and the Art of Hybrid War.”