Collection: Israel-Iran Conflict
30 Articles
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.
The Court Gutted Congress’s War Power. It’s Time to Give It Back.
A 1983 Supreme Court ruling eviscerated the law allowing Congress to end war. The Iran strikes make that a five-alarm emergency.
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.
An Unserious Justification for an Unnecessary War: Assessing the U.S. “Article 51” Letter to U.N. on Iran War
Former US State Department attorney writes that the United States' "Article 51" letter to the UN Security Council fails to identify legal basis for Iran attack.
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?
The Illegality of Israel’s Military Campaign in Lebanon
Israel and the United States must end their ongoing war of aggression against Iran, and Israel must end its unnecessary military campaign in Lebanon.
Top Experts’ Backgrounder: Military Action Against Iran and US Domestic Law
Experts who advised a president on use of force answer a full range of basic questions on the conditions under which action against Iran would be lawful, and what options Congress…
The Just Security Podcast: Is There a Diplomatic Path for Iran’s Nuclear Program? An Interview with Richard Nephew
Just Security’s Tess Bridgeman is joined by Richard Nephew to discuss where things stand and what a path forward for Iran's nuclear program might look like.
What Counts as a Win?: Battle Damage Assessments and Public Messaging
The White House's future BDA briefings on the Iran strikes will likely project certainty where analysis still urges caution.
Intelligence Implications of the Shifting Iran Strike Narrative
How the growing politicization of the U.S. intelligence community undermines the integrity of decision-making on Iran and national security more broadly.
The Trump Administration’s Flawed War Powers Report on Iran and the Need for a Congressional Rebuttal
The White House’s legal justifications for attacking Iran are unconvincing and raise concerns about unauthorized use of force. Congress should push back.
The Day After U.S. Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Program: A Policy and Legal Assessment
An expert policy and legal assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and what comes next.