Armed Conflicts

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A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows a view of an oil facility in the Kharg Island, on the shore of the Gulf. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Targeting Enemy Logistics

In the Iran war, when do critical infrastructure and economic assets qualify as lawful military objectives under the law of armed conflict.
​Grey boxes filled with fragments of ancient pottery collected after an Israeli strike near the archaeological site of the Roman hippodrome in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre.

Self-Preservation and the Erosion of International Law

It is the violation of fundamental principles of international law that ultimately constitutes an existential threat to all members of the international community.
​Hundreds of soldiers march during the annual military parade.

Iran Built a Military to Survive the American Way of War: Should We Be Surprised?

Iran’s staying power is not proof that the regime is strong; it is proof that it read the American way of war playbook. This forces a hard look at U.S. military assumptions.
Pete Hegseth stands at a Pentagon podium during a press briefing on ongoing U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran, speaking in front of a blue backdrop with the Pentagon emblem​.

Hegseth Didn’t Revive an Ancient Warrior Ethos. He Repeated an American Pattern.

Hegseth's "no quarter" statement indicates how some in the Pentagon perceive the Iran war. "No quarter" language in US history has appeared when war turns colonial or racial.

Fighting an Illegal War and Fighting a War Illegally: the Link Between Regime Change Operations and International Humanitarian Law Violations

The relationship between regime change and IHL is of inherent tension, incentivizing battlefields where the law is viewed as an obstacle rather than an essential constraint.
Four women in colorful garb and headwraps work in a flat, barren field, with lines of trucks full of what appear to be soldiers or fighters in the distance.

The Risks of Gender-Blind Conflict Analysis

The relevance of women to conflict, democratic resilience, and peacebuilding is evidence-based, yet they are commonly overlooked in forecasting and response.
A photographer with camera on a tripod stands in front of a soaring glass and sand-colored facade with a curved roofline.

If the U.S. Wants Durable Peace, It Must Protect the Institutions That Build It

A year ago, the Trump administration seized the U.S. Institute of Peace and began to dismantle it, gutting a key capability to reduce and prevent violent conflict.
Handout photo taken on March 11, 2026 and released by the Royal Thai Navy shows smoke rising from the Thai bulk carrier 'Mayuree Naree' near the Strait of Hormuz after an attack. (Photo by Handout / ROYAL THAI NAVY / AFP via Getty Images)

Expert Q&A on Key Law of Naval Warfare Issues in the Conflict with Iran

Top legal experts on the law of naval warfare break down the key issues in the Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above. In the right foreground, is the Soyuz MS-23 crew ship docked to the Prichal docking module. At bottom left, is a portion of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter and one of its cymbal-shaped UltraFlex solar arrays (photo: NASA)

Legal and Operational Issues in the Strait of Hormuz: Transit Passage Under Fire

"During my own transits through the Strait as a naval officer aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation, the narrow geography and proximity of Iranian territory were impossible…
An overhead view of the Pentagon building in Washington, DC.

Hypothetical Legal Advice to SecDef Hegseth on “No Quarter” Statement (from Office of General Counsel)

A hypothetical General Counsel advice to Secretary Hegseth about his "no quarter" statement in Iran war.
Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Marine General Francis L. Donovan walk side by side outdoors at U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Doral, Florida, during the Americas Counter Cartel Conference, with other officials visible in the background.

Did the United States Just Bomb Ecuador?

The U.S. military continues maritime strikes on alleged drug smugglers and may now be hitting targets on land. Brian Finucane analyzes Trump’s latest War Powers report.
Wide view of highway road, a tall plume of dark grey smokes rises from the port of Jebel Ali in Dubai, under a hazy, grey sky.

Iranian Attacks on the Amazon Data Centers: A Legal Analysis

Do data centers qualify as lawful military objectives? If so, under what circumstances are they subject to attack? And what precautions must be taken before targeting them?
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