Are US-Israeli attacks against Iran legal under international law?

Al JazeeraEN 5 min read 100% complete by Ali Harb,Brian OsgoodMarch 3, 2026 at 07:46 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

Experts contend that recent US-Israeli strikes against Iran, which initiated a regional war in March 2026, likely violate international law, specifically the UN Charter's prohibition on aggression. The attacks, which resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and numerous others, were not authorized by the UN Security Council or the US Congress. Analysts argue the strikes lack legal justification as Iran did not attack the US or Israel beforehand. The Trump administration justified the action by citing Iran's missile and nuclear programs as a threat, but international law prohibits unprovoked attacks. International law experts suggest the attacks could constitute a crime of aggression under international law.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United Kingdom 30% Rebecca Ingber 30% Yusra Suedi ×240% Ali Khamenei 50% Donald Trump ×250% Ben Saul 60% UN Charter ×270% UN ×470% Israel ×380% United States ×690% Iran ×7100%

Keywords

international law 100% aggression 90% un charter 80% us-israeli attacks 70% iran 70% use of force 60% crime of aggression 50% self-defence 50% legal justification 40%