Social media users are once again relying on memes to get them through global upheaval after Israel launched an attack on Iran on Friday. The threat of war in the Middle East has driven those who can do nothing about it to exhaustion and cynicism, with humor being their only defense from the horrors.
What happened between Iran and Israel?
Early Friday morning, Israel attacked Iran, striking nuclear and military sites. Israel’s stated intent was to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program, claiming the rival nation was close to developing atomic bombs. Their strikes killed at least two high-level Iranian military officials.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed retaliation against Israel, saying that the “Islamic Republic of Iran will give a severe, wise and strong answer to the occupier regime.” Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz promised that their military would “continue its activities to thwart the Iranian nuclear program and remove threats on the State of Israel.”
President Donald Trump called the violence “excellent” and blamed Iran for refusing to “make a deal” with him.
Israel-Iran World War 3 memes flood social media
Bouts of World War 3 memes seem to happen annually, at least during this cursed decade. Last time was in August 2024 after the U.S. killed two more Iranian officials with drone strikes.
The memes are always grim and increasingly fatalistic. X users seem prepared to be drafted into a pointless conflict, inevitably enriching stock traders more than anything else. At this point, judging by the posts, a lot of folks would rather the U.S. stayed out of the fight.
Oh, and the Pentagon Pizza Theory is back, too. The delivery numbers don’t lie.
Most of the jokes, however, are about the passive horror of watching the world fall to pieces from your phone before you have to go to work. Here’s 26 of them to enjoy, while you can:
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