Social media users have begun linking the escalating Middle East conflict to an old prediction by Nostradamus. Nostradamus, born Michel de Nostredame in 1503, was a French astrologer best known for Les Propheties, a collection of 942 cryptic poems said to predict future events. Written in coded language to avoid persecution, his verses are often revisited during times of global crisis. Interest in his work has resurfaced following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February. The attacks reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other officials.

Iran responded by launching missiles toward Israel and several Gulf nations, including Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait. As tensions rise and more countries become involved, fears of a wider global conflict have spread online. One verse frequently cited is the so-called “seven-month war” prediction: “Seven months great war, people dead through evil. Rouen, Evreux the King will not fail.” Some claim it foretells a third world war beginning in 2026.

However, historians note that Nostradamus never attached specific years to most of his prophecies. The places mentioned in the verse — Rouen and Évreux — refer to 16th-century French locations, not the modern Middle East. Similar claims have resurfaced during previous global conflicts, often fueled by confirmation bias — the tendency to match vague predictions to current events after they occur.

Meanwhile, the current conflict continues to unfold. US President Donald Trump said the strikes aimed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region. Experts caution against treating Nostradamus’ poems as literal forecasts, emphasizing that their vague wording allows for broad interpretation — especially during uncertain times.