List of 5 Countries Secretly Increasing Their Nuclear Weapons Amidst Fears of World War 3

• The world's nuclear arsenal has quietly increased in several countries, with five nations officially expanding their stockpiles by over 700 warheads in the past 40 years
• A 2024 report by the Federation of American Scientists warned that three additional nations might be stockpiling more arms for a potential nuclear showdown
• Global tensions have escalated, with concerns over stalled nuclear testing treaties and rising geopolitical conflicts

The size of the world's nuclear arsenal has quietly increased in several countries amid fears of World War III.

Officially, five countries – China, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea – have increased their nuclear stockpiles by over 700 warheads in the past 40 years.

However, a 2024 report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) warned that three other nations with nuclear bombs might be stockpiling even more arms for a potential nuclear showdown.

Concerns over Nuclear testing and global tensions

According to DailyMail UK, the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) noted that a treaty to permanently ban nuclear testing has stalled, and countries like Russia and China have been seen constructing new buildings at their nuclear weapons sites.

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Last month, the US government announced it would restart nuclear testing programs in secret underground facilities.

FAS released the estimated global nuclear warhead inventories for 2024, showing there are 12,121 nuclear warheads scattered across nine nations, with Russia and the US controlling 88 percent of the stockpile.

Geopolitical tensions and predictions

Global tensions have escalated, with President Donald Trump warning Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that he is 'playing with World War III' by not agreeing to America's peace terms.

China responded to Trump's vow to impose further tariffs with a stark warning that Beijing is ready for a tariff war or 'any other type of war.'

European leaders have declared their capability to defeat Russia in a major conflict. Data from the Federation of American Scientists indicated that 2,100 American, Russian, British, and French warheads are on high alert, ready for use on short notice.

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Challenges in nuclear transparency

The FAS report noted that no country openly reveals the exact number of nuclear weapons in their arsenal, making it difficult to estimate.

Publicly available information, historical records, and leaked data were used to compile the 2024 numbers. Governments have become more secretive about their nuclear secrets, with the first Trump Administration ending the total disclosure policy of America's nuclear stockpile in 2019.

Although the Biden Administration pledged to restore nuclear transparency, they failed to declassify US stockpile data for three consecutive years.

The FAS stated that the US remains the most transparent nation regarding its nuclear arsenal, while allies like Israel and the UK have become more secretive.

US launches Nuclear missile

Legit.ng earlier reported that the US Air Force successfully launched a hypersonic missile on February 19, showcasing the nation's nuclear deterrent capabilities.

The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) exercise commenced at 1 am PT (5am ET) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, just hours after Russia conducted combat training with its 'Yars' ICBM.

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The Air Force clarified that the launch was a scheduled exercise, part of the nation's ongoing commitment to maintaining a credible deterrent, and not a response to current world events.

Source: Legit.ng