Peirspictiochtai Ar An Saol
43rd Anniversary Of The Start Of World War III
April 18, 1983
Marines outside the Embassy of the United States of America assess the damage caused by a terrorist bomb attack in Beirut, Lebanon. The Marines were participating as members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon. (The photograph was produced by the United States military and provided courtesy of The United States National Archives and Records Administration, April 29, 1983.)
Many news reports in recent weeks have talked about the length of the war between Iran and the United States of America in terms of weeks.
Those same reports have noted that the United States of America and Israel began this war on February 28, 2026.
News reports have detailed that the United States Congress has not issued a declaration of war against Iran.
What many of those news reports fail to note is that Iran has declared war – through its actions – against the United States of America.
Proxy allies of Iran have been active participants in this war.
Other Islamist terror groups – from cells composed of a modest number of members to nation-states – have joined Iran in this war.
Many in the United States may not realize it, but this country is not the only one that can declare war on another nation.
The reality is that the United States of America has been in a state of war with Iran, its proxy allies, and other Islamist groups for 43 years.
World War III began on this date 43 years ago.
On April 18, 1983, the Embassy of the United States of America in Beirut, Lebanon, was bombed.
A proxy ally of Iran – at the direction of Iran and financed by Iran – was responsible for this bombing.
A total of 64 people died in this attack. Of that number, 17 were Americans, according to the United States State Department. A majority of those killed in this attack were Lebanese nationals. One of those who died was the suicide attacker who brought the explosives to the embassy. In addition to the individuals who died, the United States Department of Homeland Security indicated that approximately 120 people were injured.
On April 18, 2023, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) issued a news statement on the anniversary of the attack in which the CIA indicated that "The Islamic Jihad Organization, which later became part of Hizballah [Hezbollah], claimed responsibility. The terrorists targeted the Embassy [of the United States of America in Beirut] in an effort to force Americans to leave the country [Lebanon]."
Years after the bombing, on October 8, 1997, the United States State Department designated Hizballah [Hezbollah] as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
In a report issued by the United States Congressional Research Service – "Lebanon: Background and United States Relations" – updated on May 19, 2023, this nonpartisan arm of the United States Congress stated that "Hezbollah is an Iran-backed Lebanese Shi'a militia and United States-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization…"
Media dispatches at the time of the bombing of the Embassy of the United States of America in Beirut – and in the years since – reported that Iran denied any involvement in this attack on the United States.
April 18, 1983, was the start of the "hot" war with Iran.
When people talk about being at war with Iran for 47 years, they are usually referring to the date when Iranian "students" invaded and took control of the Embassy of the United States of America in Tehran, Iran. With that occupation, Iran kidnapped and held Americans as hostages.
While that was an act of war, there were no deaths – officially – during the occupation of that Embassy.
Please note, though, that eight members of the United States military did die in an accident while trying to rescue the hostages on April 25, 1980.
About six months after the attack on the Embassy of the United States of America in Beirut, Lebanon, there was a terrorist bombing of two buildings housing American and French members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon on October 23, 1983. Among the 307 people who died in this attack were 241 members of the American military.
The CIA includes in its "reading room" a news article from the Miami Herald dated December 7, 1986, indicating that the leaders in the United States knew that Iran ordered and funded the bombing of the Embassy of the United States of America in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 18, 1983, and the bombing of the buildings housing members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon on October 23, 1983.
The war between Iran and the United States of America did not begin on February 28, 2026.
See PDF below to view additional photographs of what happened in Beirut, Lebanon, in April of 1983.
Peirspictiochtai Ar A Saol – Gaelic – Irish – for "Perspectives On Life" is a column focused on aspects of accountability and responsibility as well as ways people look at life.
Contact Richard McDonough at
© 2026 Richard McDonough
