Four countries that could spark conflict over the next five years

Following the RAF moving jets away from the conflict in Ukraine to help bolster efforts to defend Israel – the UK defence secretary has warned of four countries that could spark further conflict.

The UK’s Typhoon aircraft were redeployed from Romania to take part in an operation to defend against Tehran’s drone and missile barrage on Israel.

It comes as Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has also warned that 2024 must be an ‘inflection point’ in how the UK responds to international threats.

He said: ‘The era of the peace dividend is over,’ citing Russia, China, Iran and North Korea as potential flashpoints over the next five years.

Warnings about the ‘agent of chaos’ Iran have been issued for months – beginning after three US soldiers were killed in February.

Iran, China, Russia and North Korea could all pose major threats to the world in coming years – let’s take a closer look at why.

Iran

Warnings about the ‘agent of chaos’ Iran have been issued for years- but increased after three US soldiers were killed in February.

Their strikes on Israel this past weekend have thrust the country into unprecedented territory.

Iran has spent years growing their proxies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen – and reaching into Western countries as well – yet western governments have been critcised for slow responses.

MP for Rutland and Melton, Alicia Kearns, is chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and told Metro.co.uk the UK needs to look at a different approach to address Iran’s aggression and meddling across the globe.

‘We need to publicly recognise that Iran has absolutely no interest in the people of Palestine – it is an agent of chaos and an agent of terrorism that is using Israel and Gaza as a “recruiting sergeant” for itself,’ she said.

Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and echoed Ms Kearns thoughts on the danger Iran poses.

Mr Taleblu said: ‘All of these (western) countries need to sanction and prescribe Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis and the IRGC as terrorist organizations – using their own national counter terrorism laws.’

Russia

Following their illegal invasion into Ukraine in 2022, Russia has continued to make threats to other western countries.

Earlier this week, a guest on Russian state television suggested expanding the Russian empire into the US and two ‘stinky Nato countries’.

Sergey Mikheyev said: ‘I want the Russian empire with Alaska, Hawaii, California, Finland, and Poland.

‘Although Poland and Finland are so stinky, I’m not sure, to be honest. We’ll clean them.’

Russia has also continued to make veiled nuclear threats – and even outright ones, as seen by Putin in February.

The Russian President said during his State of the Nation Address: ‘They, Nato and America, are active in other parts of the world, of course, and they continue to lie there, to deceive. 

‘They are preparing to strike our territory and, using the best possible forces, the most effective forces to do so.

‘But we remember the fate of those who try to invade our territory and of course their fate will be much more tragic than anything we could face. 

‘They have to understand that we also have weapons, weapons that can defeat them on their own territory. 

‘Of course all this is very dangerous, because it could actually trigger the use of nuclear weapons. Do they not understand that?’

China

The threat from China has grown in recent years – prompting Rishi Sunak to warn last year that China is the ‘challenge of the era’ for UK security.

The prime minister pledged to continue ‘engaging’ with Beijing but warned ‘our approach must evolve’ to deal with its growing alliance with Russia.

And a parliamentary researcher in Westminster was arrested in September 2023 after allegedly spying for Beijing.

The Prime Minister told the media at the time that he raised his ‘very strong concerns about any interference in our parliamentary democracy, which is obviously unacceptable’.

The UK also made a report in 2022 warning of Britain’s resilience against a potential Chinese threat.

The report from the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) claims it is ‘clear’ Britain needs to become more resilient, in particular by treading a ‘fine line’ on relations with the communist nation.

Chairwoman Alicia Kearns said Britain’s ability to respond to ‘seismic’ global shocks has been ‘repeatedly tested’ in recent years, from the Covid-19 pandemic to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

China’s increased aggression against Taiwan has also increased concern.

North Korea

Kim Jong-un has become one of the world’s most provocative leaders, making direct threats to ‘annihilate’ the US and South Korea if provoked.

He’s announced plans to launch three more military spy satellites, develop attack drones and expand his nuclear arsenal.

The North Korean military has carried out more than 100 missile tests over the past 12 months, prompting the US and South Korea to expand their joint military drills.

It has also been accused of supplying military equipment to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine.

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