This archive report was first published on 4 January 2020.
US-Iran Tensions Escalate Amid Fears of World War 3 ¶
On January 3, 2020, the United States carried out a pre-dawn air raid at Baghdad's international airport, killing Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.
The airstrike was in retaliation to an attack on the US embassy in Baghdad earlier in the week.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned of 'harsh revenge' and said the incident would double Iran's resolve to resist the United States.
As tensions between the US and Iran escalated, Twitter users began sharing humorous reactions and memes, using the hashtag #WorldWar3.
Some users joked about the possibility of a global conflict, while others shared funny images and GIFs.
Me in Ten Years Time Explaining to my Children How the #worldwar3 Happened.!!!????❗❗ pic.twitter.com/Gzf08Frzwi — ÁsântèHénë? (@AsanteHen) January 4, 2020
The US government also asked its citizens to leave Iraq for fear of possible attacks.
