This article argues that contemporary global turbulence represents not a temporary disruption but a structural expression of the enduring realities of an anarchic international system. Drawing primarily on Realist theory in international relations, the analysis contends that the current moment — marked by geopolitical fragmentation, eroding multilateralism, and intensifying great-power competition — reflects the logic of power politics that Realism has consistently identified as the irreducible foundation of world affairs. The 2026 Iran-United States war, initiated on February 28, 2026 through Operation Epic Fury, is examined as a paradigmatic case: a militarized confrontation rooted in the security dilemma, preventive war logic, and the structural imperatives of multipolar transition. Four drivers of turbulence are identified — the fragmentation of the liberal order, inequality as a power competition variable, technological disruption of the military balance, and ecological breakdown as a threat multiplier — each interpreted through a consistently Realist lens. The article concludes that states prioritize survival and relative power under anarchy, and that institutions reflect rather than transcend this underlying reality.
Keywords: realism, anarchy, balance of power, security competition, Iran-US war 2026, power politics, polycrisis, global governance