Civilian Harm

× Clear Filters
231 Articles
Three cone shaped flags on poles, Israel, Iran, United States, isolated on a transparent background (via Getty Images).

Expert Q&A: A Targeting Primer on the Iran War

Leading legal experts' Q&A analyzes how the law of armed conflict applies to U.S., Israeli, and Iranian strikes - with a focus on targeting rules and civilian protections.
An aerial view of a graveyard

When Intelligence Fails: A Legal Targeting Analysis of the Minab School Strike

The law of armed conflict demands that we take the Minab school strike seriously to learn, to reform, and to prevent the next failure.
IMAGES (left to right): People search through buildings, destroyed during Israeli air raids in the southern Gaza Strip on November 7, 2023 in Khan Yunis, Gaza (Photo by Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images); A fireball erupts during Israeli bombardment of Gaza City on October 9, 2023 (Photo by Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images); The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the UN, holds public hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by South Africa in the case South Africa v. Israel on 11 and 12 January 2024, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court (Photo by the International Court of Justice).

Just Security’s Israel-Hamas War Archive

Just Security's collection of more than 110 articles covering the Israel-Hamas War and its diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian consequences.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (L) and Admiral Charles Bradford "Brad" Cooper II, Commander of US Central Command, speak in front of podiums during a press conference

How Iran, Anthropic-DoD Dispute Show the Need for Protective AI

The Iran War and the public rupture between DoD and Anthropic point to a fundamental imbalance in current military AI.
Wide view of Tehran’s skyline with several tall plumes of grey smoke rising between apartment buildings under a hazy, grey sky.

Was Targeting Ayatollah Khamenei and Other Iranian Leaders Lawful? What Precedents Does It Set?

After Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei was killed in a U.S. and Israeli attack, a key question arises: when is striking a member of the enemy leadership lawful under the laws…
A man warms himself in front of a public fire pit at night.

Russia’s Big War at Four: Ukraine Keeps Fighting and Keeps Talking

Ukrainians have withstood the Russian onslaught and, thanks to Europe, have managed despite the reduction of U.S. military assistance. Trump has more he could offer.
Two small children unload white bags off of a big white truck with a Red Crescent sign on the side, at dusk. A woman fully covered in a black chador stands next to the truck with her back to the camera.

Syria’s Al-Hol Camp Is Closed, But Another Remains, as Does International Responsibility

Responsible states can end the chaos and suffering in remaining camps like Roj by repatriating detainees and upholding their obligations to their citizens.
Three men wearing prostheses and a woman in a colorful long dress sit in a mostly empty room with bare floors and light coming from windows at the back.

Risk of Renewed War in Tigray: Painful Reminders From Ethiopia’s Last War Demand Action to Prevent Another

With the possibility of renewed fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region, reminders of the toll and recommendations for the world to take preventive action.
Screenshot of the OLC Memo

The OLC Maduro Memorandum: Assisting in War Sustaining Activities is Not Direct Participation in Hostilities

A troubling OLC memo claims civilians aiding “war-sustaining activities” can be lawfully targeted—an unsupported interpretation that weakens civilian safeguards.
Miners work along unstable slopes of a ridge

Getting Critical Minerals Certification and Due Diligence Right In the DRC-Rwanda Accord and Beyond (With a Lesson from a Punk Band?)

A concentration on decision-making, investment, and accountability will lead to a more impactful DRC-Rwanda minerals agreement and improve others as well.
Protestors clash with federal agents outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on January 8, 2026. A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed an American woman on the streets of Minneapolis January 7, leading to huge protests and outrage from local leaders who rejected White House claims she was a domestic terrorist. The woman, identified in local media as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, was hit at point blank range as she apparently tried to drive away from agents who were crowding around her car, which they said was blocking their way. (Photo by Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images)

DOJ’s Dangerous Silence in the Face of Federal Immigration Agents’ Violent Tactics

The DOJ has the authority, resources, and responsibility to hold federal agents accountable for willful constitutional violations.
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) greets US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (L) prior to their talks in Moscow on April 25, 2025. (Photo by KRISTINA KORMILITSYNA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Why a Ukraine-Russia Amnesty Would Violate Geneva Convention Obligations

An amnesty in any future peace plan would be unlawful and a moral abdication of the pursuit of accountability for victims in Russia's war in Ukraine.
1-12 of 231 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: