US Demonstrates Strike Capability Against Iran as World Fears World War III

The United States Department of Defense on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, released footage showing missiles being fired from the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge during a military operation targeting Iran. Earlier, a video released on Monday showed fighter jets taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford as US forces launched strikes on several targets in Iran. The footage was distributed by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), which provides official military visual documentation to the public and media. In the video, missiles are shown being fired from the launcher on the USS Bainbridge before streaking towards their targets. The footage also shows F/A-18 fighter jets taking off from the flight deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford as part of the air operation. The release adds to the official record of US military activity in operations against targets in Iran. The late Russian statesman Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s warning about the possibility of World War III has resurfaced amid broad escalation involving the United States and Israel against Iran. The 2022 video has circulated widely on social media. In it, Zhirinovsky, then leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, warned that tensions in the Middle East would surpass the Ukraine conflict and could drag the world into a global war. The statements gained renewed relevance after the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on Iranian territory this past weekend. Washington and Tel Aviv said the operation aimed to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons; Iran has strongly denied the claim, saying its nuclear programme is peaceful. In the same video, Zhirinovsky predicted Israel would target Iran’s nuclear facilities and provoke a swift retaliation from Tehran. He said the situation would be used by the United States as a pretext for large-scale military intervention.