Armed Conflict

Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on the legal, policy, and strategic dimensions of armed conflict, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, counterterrorism operations, conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, and other armed conflicts across the globe, with a focus on international humanitarian law, war crimes and accountability, mitigating and remedying civilian harm, and the humanitarian impacts of warfare.

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3,582 Articles
Journalists line up with cameras on tripods in the foreground, facing an armored vehicle in the distance at the other end of what looks like a cement-paved alley.

As Governments Silence Critics During War, Writers Are Among the First to Pay the Price

Crackdowns on writers, culture, and free expression during war emerged as a key trend in PEN America's 2025 data for the latest annual Freedom to Write Index.
Smoke and fire rises from the Dormition Cathedral in the Orthodox complex of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra following a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on June 15, 2026, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

The Law of Armed Conflict and the Attack on Kyiv’s Monastery of the Caves and Dormition Cathedral

The strike illustrates a grim pattern in Russia’s conduct of the war – the systematic destruction of Ukrainian religious and cultural sites.
An Iranian woman walks past a mural depicting late Iranian supreme leaders Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (L) and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (R) in Tehran on June 18, 2026.

Time to Repeal INARA and Move Forward with the Iran MoU

The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act should be repealed or amended. The alternatives are extending a disastrous war of choice or ignoring the law.
Two riders on a motorcycle ride from the right of the image to the left, in front of a monument depicting the silhouettes of soldiers in berets, rifles resting against their shoulders, marching from right to left, with one soldier in front holding a flag, also in silhouette, all against a backdrop of a wall painted in wide vertical swaths of green, yellow and red. At the left of the image, in front of the soldier holding the flag, a street vendor displays a large board of indeterminate goods.

Could the United States Make a Difference in Mali?

Washington cannot afford to neglect the lessons of past Sahelian counterinsurgency efforts as it contemplates what form a partnership with Mali’s military should take.

Key Questions on U.S. Killing Tren de Aragua Leader Inside Venezuela

Does the killing of Tren de Aragua's leader by the U.S. military in Venezuela constitute murder? An extrajudicial killing? What was its purported legal basis?
A view of Daba Naira camp from a Solidarités International water tower as the sun sets over Tawila in North Darfur on February 22, 2026.

Sudan Has Become a Transnational Marketplace of Violence: Effective Responses Require Targeting the Sources

The most consequential drivers of the war in Sudan are foreign states, private military contractors, and transnational criminal networks.
U.S. forces patrol the Arabian Sea near M/V Touska on April 20, 2026, after firing upon the Iranian-flagged vessel that the U.S. accused of attempting to violate the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz.

Blockade and Article 2(4) of the UN Charter

"The U.S. military’s enforcement of the ongoing naval blockade of Iran may have now resulted in fresh violations of the U.N. Charter against four entirely different countries."

Making Syria’s Transitional Justice Process Meaningful for Survivors and Communities

One of the central questions facing Syria is whether its emerging justice system can earn the trust of those in whose name it is being built.
U.S. soldiers in camouflage uniforms stand with their backs to the camera during a briefing or formation.

Thoughts for Judge Advocates in Challenging Times

Former JAGs provide principles to guide U.S. military lawyers as the U.S. armed forces faces unprecedented legal and ethical pressures.
Senegalese peacekeepers of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) patrol near Carnot on May 28, 2026.

US-Central African Republic Deportation Agreement Escalates Attack on Immigrants and Puts Lives at Risk

Congress should demand transparency and require the U.S. government to publicly release third-country deportation agreements, including with the Central African Republic. 
A view of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, on October 24, 2023, in Jerusalem, Israel.

The New October 7 Tribunal and the Legitimacy Challenge of Atrocity Adjudication

The tribunal will be judged not only by the verdicts it produces, but by the institutional model of accountability it leaves behind.
Police and forensic investigators examine the location of impact after a Russian drone struck an apartment building in Galati, eastern Romania.

Drones Over Europe: The Prohibition on the Use of Force and Unintended Harm

Russia’s drone incursions into E.U. territory raise important questions about how unintended engagements are regulated under international law.
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