This article gives an overview of the military history of the 2020s.

World

General history In the early 2020s, the pandemic of COVID-19 caused major global security concerns, as countries worked to address major security concerns and travel restrictions that were made necessary by the pandemic.

Major conflicts by region Europe Russia and Ukraine

In late 2021, the Russian buildup of forces on its border with Ukraine caused major world concerns.

Second Nagorno-Karabakh War

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict between Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, and the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh together with Armenia, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. It was the latest escalation of an unresolved conflict over the region, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but partially governed by Artsakh, a breakaway state with an Armenian ethnic majority. Clashes began on the morning of 27 September 2020 along the Nagorno-Karabakh Line of Contact, which had been established in the aftermath of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988–1994). In response to the clashes, Armenia and Artsakh introduced martial law and total mobilization, while Azerbaijan introduced martial law and a curfew, later declaring partial mobilization on 28 September 2020. Turkey provided military support to Azerbaijan, although the extent of this support has been disputed. Turkey's involvement is thought to have been an attempt to extend its sphere of influence, both by increasing the standing of Azerbaijan in the conflict and by marginalizing Russia's influence over the region. Following the capture of Shusha, the second-largest settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, ending all hostilities in the area from 00:00, 10 November 2020 Moscow Time. The President of Artsakh, Arayik Harutyunyan, also agreed to end the hostilities. Under the agreement, the warring sides will keep control of their currently held areas within Nagorno-Karabakh, while Armenia will return the surrounding territories it occupied in 1994 to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan will also gain land access to its Nakhchivan exclave bordering Turkey and Iran. Approximately 2,000 Russian soldiers will be deployed as peacekeeping forces along the Lachin corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh for a mandate of at least five years.

Middle East Israel-Palestine-Lebanon-Iran conflict

On 7 October 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, beginning the Gaza war. On 8 October 2023, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli positions, beginning the 2023 Israel-Hezbollah conflict. On 1 April 2024, Israel conducted an airstrike on the Iranian consulate complex in Damascus, Syria, beginning the 2024 Iran-Israel conflict. In September 2024, the Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalated into the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah War. On 13 June 2025, Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, starting the Twelve-Day War, which resulted in a ceasefire after the US attacked Iranian nuclear sites.

Persian Gulf crisis In January 2020, the United States assassinated the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, general Qasem Soleimani. This led to an Iranian missile strike against bases housing US troops in Iraq five days later. As a result of expectations of a US retribution, the Iranian air defence system accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, killing all 176 people on board.9 questions about the US-Iran crisis you were too embarrassed to ask By Alex Ward and Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 13 Jan 2020 The International Maritime Security Construct was set up by the US to prevent Iran from disrupting international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel was suspected of being behind at least five explosions and fires at Iranian nuclear sites in the summer of 2020. The leading nuclear scientist of the country, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated on 27 November 2020, with Iran blaming Israel for the attack.

Yemeni Civil War

The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing conflict that began in 2015 between two factions: the Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi led Yemeni government and the Houthi armed movement, along with their supporters and allies. Both claim to constitute the official government of Yemen.

Houthi forces currently control the capital Sanaʽa, allied with forces loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have clashed with the forces loyal to Hadi who are based in Aden. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have also carried out attacks, with AQAP controlling swathes of territory in the hinterlands, and along stretches of the coast. Concurrently, the Hadi government is in conflict with UAE forces as a result of UAE military measures such as the United Arab Emirates takeover of Socotra and UAE-backed STC takeover of Aden.

Libyan Civil War

In February 2020, the political track of the Libyan peace process started in Geneva among 20 Libyans, from both the Tobruk-based and Tripoli-based parts of the Libyan House of Representatives, and from the independent persons' group selected by UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), including Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, former Education Minister Othman Abdul Jalil and former head of the HCS Abdulrahman Sewehli. The aimed composition was 13 HoR representatives from both the Tobruk and Tripoli branches, 13 HCS representatives and 14 UNSMIL-selected independent Libyans, for a total of 40.

Africa Tigray war

The Tigray war was an armed conflict that began in November 2020 in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia, between Tigray Region special forces led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) in alliance with Amhara Region special forces.

The conflict stemmed from the attempt of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to distance the country's politics from ethnic federalism, a power-sharing system giving regional influence to individual ethnic groups, by merging the ethnic and region-based parties of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, which had governed Ethiopia for 30 years, into a nationwide Prosperity Party.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front, a military and politically powerful entity inside Ethiopia representing 6% of the total population ethnically, refused to join the new party, and alleged that Abiy Ahmed became an illegitimate ruler by rescheduling the general elections set for 29 August 2020 to an undetermined date in 2021 due to COVID-19.

South Sudan

The South Sudanese Civil War ended with a negotiated peace treaty. In January 2020, the Community of Sant'Egidio mediated a Rome Peace Declaration between the SSOMA and the South Sudanese government. The most contentious issue delaying the formation of the unity government was whether South Sudan should keep 32 or return to 10 states. On 14 February 2020, Kiir announced South Sudan would return to 10 states in addition to three administrative areas of Abyei, Pibor, and Ruweng, and on 22 February Riek Machar was sworn in as first vice president for the creation of the unity government, ending the civil war. Disarmament campaigns led by the government has led to resistance, with clashes killing more than 100 people in two days in north-central Tonj in August 2020. Sudan

In January 2020, progress was made in peace negotiations, in the areas of land, transitional justice and system of government issues via the Darfur track of negotiations. SRF and Sovereignty Council representatives agreed on the creation of a Special Court for Darfur to conduct investigations and trials for war crimes and crimes against humanity carried out during the War in Darfur by the al-Bashir presidency and by warlords. Two Areas negotiations with SPLM-N (al-Hilu) had progressed on six framework agreement points, after a two-week pause, but disagreement remained on SPLM-N (al-Hilu)'s requirement of a secular state in South Kordofan and Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile self-determination. On 24 January on the Two Areas track, political and security agreements, constituting a framework agreement, were signed by Hemetti on behalf of the Sovereignty Council and Ahmed El Omda Badi on behalf of SPLM-N (Agar). The agreements give legislative autonomy to South Kordofan and Blue Nile; propose solutions for the sharing of land and other resources, and aim to unify all militias and government soldiers into a single unified Sudanese military body. On 26 January, a "final" peace agreement for the northern track, including issues of studies for new dams, compensation for people displaced by existing dams, road construction and burial of electronic and nuclear waste, was signed by Shamseldin Kabashi of the Sovereignty Council and Dahab Ibrahim of the Kush Movement.Can South Sudan's men of war lead the country to peace?, by Peter Oborne & Jan-Peter Westad, February 15, 2020. Middle East Eye website.Sudan peace talks: Agreement on eastern track finalised, February 23 - 2020, dabangasudan website.The trouble with South Sudan's transitional government BY AMIR IDRIS, oped, 02/28/20, thehill.com.

Following the 2021 Sudanese coup d'état, tensions mounted between the Sudanese government and the Rapid Support Forces, leading to the Battle of Khartoum on 15 April 2023, beginning the Sudanese civil war (2023–present).

Asia China and Taiwan In late 2022, Chinese military exercises and actions near Taiwan caused major world concern.

War in Afghanistan

The Afghan peace process attempted to end the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). Although sporadic efforts have taken place since the war began in 2001, negotiations intensified in 2018 amid talks between the Taliban, which is the main insurgent group fighting against the Afghan government and American troops; and the United States, of which 20,000 soldiers maintain a presence within the country to support the Afghan government. Most of the talks have taken place in Doha, the capital of Qatar. It is expected that a mutual agreement between the Taliban and the United States would be followed by a phased American withdrawal and the start of intra-Afghan peace talks. Besides the United States, regional powers such as Pakistan, China and India, Russia, as well as NATO play a part in facilitating the peace process.

On February 29, 2020, the U.S. signed a conditional peace agreement with the Taliban, which calls for the withdrawal of foreign troops in 14 months if the Taliban uphold the terms of the agreement. On March 1, 2020, however, the Afghan government, which was not a party to the deal, rejected the U.S. and Taliban's call for a prisoner swap by March 10, 2020, with President Ghani stating that such an agreement will require further negotiation and will also not be implemented as a precondition for future peace negotiations.Afghan conflict: President Ashraf Ghani rejects Taliban prisoner release, 1 March 2020, BBC.Afghan peace deal hits first snag over prisoner releases, By KATHY GANNON, March 1, 2020, Associated Press. In March 2020, the Taliban announced they would resume hostilities with the Afghan Government if the prisoners were not released.Afghan conflict: Taliban to resume attacking local forces after deal with US, 2 March 2020, BBC.Afghan conflict: Clashes shatter partial truce after US deal, 3 March 2020, BBC.

Myanmar Civil War

The Myanmar civil war is an ongoing civil war in Myanmar since 2021. As of March 2023 the United Nations estimated that since the coup in February 2021, 17.6 million people in Myanmar required humanitarian assistance, while 1.6 million were internally displaced, and over 55,000 civilian buildings had been destroyed.

Events by country

Africa

Kenya