Are US-Israeli attacks against Iran legal under international law?
Al Jazeera
Analysts say the joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran appear to breach the UN Charter’s prohibition on aggression.
US and Israeli strikes against Iran, which have sparked a regional war, likely violate the UN Charter’s prohibition on aggression and lack any valid legal justification, experts say.
“This is not lawful self-defence against an armed attack by Iran, and the UN Security Council has not authorised it,” the United Nations special rapporteur on the promotion of human rights and “counterterrorism”, Ben Saul, told Al Jazeera.
“Preventive disarmament, counterterrorism and regime change constitute the international crime of aggression. All responsible governments should condemn this lawlessness from two countries who excel in shredding the international legal order.”
The administration of United States President Donald Trump did not seek authorisation from the UN Security Council – or even from domestic lawmakers in Congress – for the war.
And Iran did not attack the US or Israel prior to the strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other senior officials, as well as hundreds of civilians.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has warned European countries against joining the ongoing war with Israel and the US.
NATO Chief Mark Rutte says the world is “better off” with Iran’s Supreme Leader gone.
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The CIA shared location intel with Israel that moved the timing of the strikes forward according to US media reports.
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Gulf countries have accused Iran of targeting civilian infrastructure such as hotels and airports as tensions escalate in the region.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr reports from the site of an Israeli attack in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
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