How quickly could the quarantine on Cuban have turned into WW III?

The Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 brought the U.S. and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war, making the potential for World War III alarmingly high. If President Kennedy had opted for a military strike against the missile sites in Cuba, it could have prompted a swift Soviet response, escalating the conflict. Additionally, miscommunication or a miscalculation by either side during the tense standoff could have triggered a rapid escalation to nuclear engagement. The high stakes and close proximity of both superpowers made the situation incredibly volatile, with the potential for global conflict existing within days.