The killing of Iran’s top general and Guards Commander, Quaseem Soleimani and the Iraqi Commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, has set social media abuzz since Friday morning.
Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, and al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) were killed by US airstrike in the early hours of Friday.
Their deaths had initially created tensions among some social media users who believe it may lead to a war between the United States and Iran, and also snowball into World War III.
Fears of a looming Third World War have been growing on the internet, 75 years after the Second World War ended in 1945.
Not long after, the table turned as those who were initially in fear of a looming war started poking fun about their preparedness for the war.
Twitter has been abuzz since Friday morning as users post a series of memes to express their thoughts about the ‘looming war’. #WWIII, #WorldWar3 #WorldWarThree #WorldWarIII are the trending hashtags Twitter users across the world are tweeting with.
A Nigerian Twitter user posted a gyration video of some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, saying the footage shows how the officers are preparing for the war.
He tweeted:
The Nigerian police warming up for world war 3 #WWIII pic.twitter.com/qFIxF9GQn5
— YOUR ANCESTORS ❤? 3.0 (@adeFAYE_) January 3, 2020
See other reactions:
US trying to recruit me for #worldwar3
pic.twitter.com/M80swZwjAZ— Blvk_Dan (@danny_whilde) January 3, 2020
In honor of World War 3 ? #WW3 #WorldWarThree pic.twitter.com/Ryd0YCjBzn
— Pom (@maxzallani) January 3, 2020
Me trying to convince border control that I’m a Mexican citizen when I’m really just trying to escape the draft #WWIII pic.twitter.com/rNjgV1w3V1
— Awood (@A__Woodd) January 3, 2020
Me after the recruiters leave my house thinking im injured#WWIII pic.twitter.com/AtRq64dQ1e
— Mike_C07 (@MikeTheFreak3) January 3, 2020
Me walking through the battlefield after I get drafted.#WWIII pic.twitter.com/isguAAQ4Iu
— Issa Babe (@x_seraphic_x) January 3, 2020
“Women should be drafted in the war too.” Umm ? technically we back in the 20s so I don’t have rights ? catch y’all in the kitchen tho✌?#WorldWarThree pic.twitter.com/IcKaLCyj2l
— the witching hour ? (@brainwashriot) January 3, 2020
Me having no fucking idea what I’m doing in #WWIII pic.twitter.com/r1DUCgvLvq
— S?? (@saiflowwwkeyyy) January 3, 2020
Me and the lads checking VAR to see who got the kill #WWIII pic.twitter.com/SMsLDl8Tbd
— abu (@abuhussaiin) January 3, 2020
Fortnite kids during #WWIII pic.twitter.com/4FgN1noQcX
— ItzDakz (@vDakinv) January 3, 2020
Me walking into prison after I get drafted to #WWIII and refused to go. pic.twitter.com/Wl2C1KF2iH
— Bellow (@Specific_theatr) January 3, 2020
Mom taking my picture before I deploy to World War 3 #WWIII pic.twitter.com/EsfFonbJKI
— Twist 27-27 (@Survivor372018) January 3, 2020
When Hitler hears that there’s a third world war ???#WWIII pic.twitter.com/uxBkWAAnrF
— Mehdi Mouzai LD (@LdMouzai) January 3, 2020
Me and my girls entering Mexico like some bad bitches before the missiles hit #WWIII pic.twitter.com/E0347HV7Ty
— Jaaiko ?? (journie) (@jaaiko_) January 3, 2020
Me being told by my commander that #WWIII isn’t similar to Call Of Duty and I won’t respwan when I die pic.twitter.com/t32C0Se6Cc
— We’re Fucked (@fuckedWW3) January 3, 2020
me dodging bullets on the battlefield after getting drafted for #WWIII pic.twitter.com/xg9YHpaCY0
— sebastian (@ssbstiann) January 3, 2020
the world war 3 recruiters when they come banging on my door: #WWIII
pic.twitter.com/NvhClrVrPW— Ace ? (@CxrlAce) January 3, 2020
Me vibing with the Iranians after getting captured #WWIII pic.twitter.com/230zm1EqED
— social media influencer (@DizzyDJ_) January 3, 2020
me telling my grandkids what kind of sounds I heard in #WWIII pic.twitter.com/U8kdPNuSyO
— chris. (@moneycrisco) January 3, 2020
When I just got recruited into the army and the first message I received was ……dear you soldier you will be the commando for the first battalion in #WWIII #worldwar3 pic.twitter.com/edHv8ZYuEq
— part time marlian ? (@offwhite_o) January 3, 2020
Me being sent to Iran to serve my country after making #worldwar3 jokes ??????? pic.twitter.com/RUazBlWLkZ
— liaa??♀️? (@ChubbyfaceLiiaa) January 3, 2020
‘Females should fight in #worldwar3 since they want equal rights’
Me in the kitchen: pic.twitter.com/3CaWB2Oq4L
— 5’5 omo tó fine gàn?? (@notevenzay) January 3, 2020