A nuclear expert has revealed which US cities are likely to be targeted if a third World War were to break out.

Following Donald Trump’s seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, US claims about annexing Greenland and threats about intervening in Iran, concerns about a global war have been a steady fixture for the first month of 2026.

And that isn’t including Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine or simmering tensions in Syria.

In that case, it’s no surprise that several nations are looking at reintroducing conscription.

But if things were to kick off big time and the world’s most powerful nations were to end up in direct conflict, what would happen exactly?

There are already plenty of scenarios which envisage the start of World War 3, with the most commonly considered being some sort of conflict between the US and Russia.

Towns close to US military bases would be in trouble (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images)
Towns close to US military bases would be in trouble (Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images)

Which, if it were to come to fruition, would be devastating for both nations.
Which US cities would be targeted first if a war were to break out between America and Russia?

The above scenario is one which Alex Wellerstein, a nuclear historian and professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, explored for MailOnline, and there are a lot of places which could be at risk from an attack. Some of which are more obvious targets than others.
Honolulu, Hawaii

The westernmost state of the US, Hawaii, is home to numerous key US military bases and is the key to the nation’s influence in the Pacific.

With locations such as Pearl Harbour and Hickman Air Force Base, the 350,429-strong archipelago would be a prime target for attack.
Shreveport, Louisiana

The city of Shreveport, Louisiana, is unlikely to be a place which many of us outside of the US have heard of. However, the town hosts Barksdale Air Force Base, the primary Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) base, and hosts the vast majority of America’s strategic bombers and missiles. Which means it shouldn’t take a genius to understand why Shreveport would be high up on a hostile nation’s target list.

While the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico is close to a military base believed to have the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons (Getty Stock Images)
While the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico is close to a military base believed to have the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons (Getty Stock Images)

Shreveport isn’t the only US town close to key Air Force bases either, with installations located nearby Cheyenne, Wyoming, Great Falls in Montana, Omaha, Nebraska and Utah’s Ogden-Clearfield metro area.

The above towns are also significantly smaller than any of the major US cities, meaning they lack suitable infrastructure for a sudden mass evacuation.
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado Springs is home to both North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Peterson Space Force Base, making it crucial to the aerial defence of not only the US but also the whole of North America.
Albuquerque, New Mexico

As well as being the backdrop for the Breaking Bad TV series, New Mexico’s state capital is also close to Kirtland Air Force Base, which is believed to have the largest storage of nuclear weapons in the world.

Which means it will be high on the list for any attacking nation.
Houston, Texas

The coastal city of Houston is not only home to 2.3 million people but is also considered the US – and global – energy capital due to its oil and gas producing capabilities.

Of course major population centres such as New York, Los Angeles and the nation’s capital Washington would be key targets (Getty Stock Images)
Of course major population centres such as New York, Los Angeles and the nation’s capital Washington would be key targets (Getty Stock Images)
Major US cities which could also be targeted during a war

As well as targeting the above strategic locations, a hostile state would also target major population centres to decimate US morale.

This includes targets such as Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, the nation’s three largest population centres and home to various key industries.

A strike to the above would not only cause mass casualties but also cripple morale amongst Americans.
Washington, D.C

If nuclear war were to kick off, the sitting US President – in this case, Donald Trump – will likely have been long whisked away on his doomsday plane.

However, this wouldn’t stop an enemy from targeting the seat of the US government as well as the Department of Defence headquarters, the Pentagon.