Amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict and the United States’ recently escalated involvement, global concerns over the possibility of nuclear destruction are rising. According to multiple sources, nine countries across the globe are known to have nuclear weapons. The list of countries includes the U.S., Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom (U.K.), Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea. Every country has a different number of nuclear weapons, and the destruction varies depending on the type.
The Union of Concerned Scientists detailed that globally, there are “close to” 13,000 nuclear weapons, compared to the around 60,000 there were during the Cold War. Additionally, the source noted that global powers such as the U.S., Russia, and China are individually working to increase their respective countries’ stockpiles. Currently, the U.S. and Russia’s respective stocks reportedly comprise around 90% of the globe’s nuclear weapons. Russia is believed to have more in its atomic stockpile than the U.S. at the time of this report.
Notably, the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom have all signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Per the United Nations’ Office for Disarmament Affairs, the treaty’s aims include promoting nuclear disarmament, peaceful cooperation between nuclear weapon holders, and preventing “the spread” of related weapons and technology.
While Israel hasn’t confirmed that it has nuclear weapons or signed the NPT, it reportedly has an unconfirmed number in its arsenal.
According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, six countries harbor nuclear weapons for other countries. Those host countries are Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belarus, and Turkey.
What Else Should I Know About Conflicts In The Middle East?
This month, Israel took action to target the nuclear threat it believes Iran poses to it, which has prompted a days-long series of attacks between the two countries in the Middle East. Though Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons, the Associated Press reported that the country has a nuclear program it claims is for peaceful applications.
On June 17, the White House published an article noting dozens of instances dating back to 2011 where U.S. President Donald Trump stated his belief that Iran shouldn’t have nuclear weapons.
On June 21, Trump announced that the country successfully carried out massive “precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities” in Iran. He said that the U.S.’s objective was “the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity.” Another goal he mentioned was stopping the nuclear threat of “the world’s number one state sponsor of terror,” referencing Iran. In his address to the nation, Trump also thanked and acknowledged Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu, whom he said he worked with to “erase” Iran’s “threat” to Israel.
Amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, airports and airlines have restricted travel throughout the region, including flight disruptions and closed airspaces.
