A sudden surge in pizza deliveries around the Pentagon may have signalled the impending Israeli airstrike on Iran, according to observers monitoring unusual patterns in the US capital.

The theory, popularised on social media, suggests that late-night food orders can serve as a real-time indicator of crisis-mode activity within military and government offices.

At around 6.59pm local time on Thursday, the X account Pentagon Pizza Report flagged a spike in orders from nearly all pizzerias near the Department of Defense.

About an hour later, Iranian state television reported the first explosions in Tehran.

The same account also pointed out that a nearby gay bar was uncharacteristically quiet that evening, interpreting the absence of patrons as another sign of a busy night inside the Pentagon.

Known informally as the 'pizza index', the idea rests on the premise that during times of international crisis involving the US, Pentagon officials and staff often remain at their desks late into the night, prompting a rise in food delivery demand – particularly pizza.

The theory is not new. According to the food website The Takeout, local pizzerias also reported booming business ahead of Israel's missile strike on Iran in 2024.

The Pentagon, while home to numerous fast-food outlets, has no pizzerias on site, making nearby restaurants a popular fallback.

Historical parallels add to the legend: pizza deliveries reportedly surged before the US invasion of Panama in December 1989 and again in the run-up to Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

While not a formal intelligence-gathering tool, the pizza index has become a curious lens through which to read the rhythms of American military engagement.

On Friday morning, Israel launched what it described as an unprecedented large-scale assault on Iran.

Around 200 fighter jets targeted multiple sites, including locations in Tehran, the Natanz nuclear facility, and several military compounds.

Iran called the attack a "declaration of war" and vowed to retaliate.