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F-35 fighter aircraft against blue sky with two white contrails.

Making Sense of International Law in Light of Israel and Iran’s Latest Round of “Retaliation”

The current round of retaliatory strikes between Israel and Iran casts light on Israel's and Iran’s opposing political strategies, which also have significant legal implications…
Ambulances are surrounded by people at the entrance of the American University of Beirut Medical Center, on September 17, 2024, after explosions hit locations in several Hezbollah strongholds around Lebanon amid ongoing cross-border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah fighters.

Law of War Questions Raised by Exploding Pagers in Lebanon

The exploding pagers in Lebanon raise a number of factual and legal questions related to the obligations of the attacker under the law of armed conflict.
Ukrainian soldier of the assault battalion walks on the empty street of town on August 16, 2024 in Sudzha, Russia.

A Reply to Chris O’Meara: Necessity and Proportionality in International Law on the Use of Force

In his thought-provoking essay in Just Security, Chris O’Meara provides an insightful analysis of Ukraine’s recent incursion into Kursk Oblast under the law governing the use…
A local volunteer looks at a building damaged by Ukrainian strikes in Kursk on August 16, 2024, following Ukraine's offensive into Russia's western Kursk region.

Ukraine’s Incursion into Kursk Oblast: A Lawful Case of Defensive Invasion?

The UN Charter, the law on the use of force, and the conditions that body of law places on Ukraine's military operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 01: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks from the Blue Room balcony of the White House on August 1, 2022 in Washington, DC. Biden announced that over the weekend, U.S. forces launched an airstrike in Afghanistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri. Zawahiri, 71, took over leadership of al-Qaeda in 2011, shortly after American forces killed Osama bin Laden. The president said there were no civilian casualties. (Photo by Jim Watson-Pool/Getty Images)

A Presidential Proclamation to End the Iraq War: Unilateral Executive Action to Defang a Zombie AUMF

President Biden should proclaim the conflict authorized by the 2002 resolution to be over and determine that it is no longer “necessary and appropriate” to use force for the…
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The Just Security Podcast: Assessing the Laws of War

Cordula Droege, chief legal officer and head of the legal division of the International Committee of the Red Cross, assesses the laws of war.

The Aftermath of the Haniyeh Killing: How to Avoid a New Middle East War

Expert analysis of the Ismail Haniyeh killing and prospects for avoiding a wider war in the Middle East.
A black colored International Law book sits with a judges gavel on top of it on desk in the library. The book's spine has "International Law" written in gold letters and the gavel is made of dark brown wood.

Assessing the Civilian and Political Institutions of Armed Non-State Actors under International Law

International law must better understand and account for the realities of civilian life in territory under armed group control.

Death Toll Climbs in Ukraine With Russia’s ‘Double-Tap’ Strikes

The tactic adds to evidence of intent to kill civilians through targeted or indiscriminate attacks, including on aid workers and institutions.
Smoke billows from a city neighborhood of tan, brown buildings.

Assessing Jus Ad Bellum Proportionality: A Factored Approach

Nine factors, considered in their totality, would provide a more nuanced understanding of jus ad bellum proportionality and assist States in identifying specific concerns with…
Boxes of supplies stacked as pallets on a truck bed

Humanitarian Notification in Gaza is Broken: How to Document and Respond When Things Go Wrong

Humanitarian notification has failed in Gaza. Better documentation and response systems can protect humanitarian actors and improve accountability.
The European Commission headquarters building is shown lit in yellow on the bottom half and blue on the top half.

International Enough? A Council of Europe Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression

To overcome personal immunities, a proposed Ukraine-CoE special tribunal must act on behalf of the international community as a whole.
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