Jus ad Bellum

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184 Articles

Aggression, Plain and Simple: A Response to Shany and Cohen on the Attack on Iran

Legal academics debate the state of international law and international institutions in light of the US-Israel-Iran War.
File photo of Iranian frigate IRIS Dena from 2021 commissioning. Photo Credit: MojNews, Wikipedia Commons

Sinking Iran’s Frigate IRIS Dena and the Law of Naval Warfare

Legal explainer concerning the location of the Iranian vessel, the attack itself, and the U.S. submarine's lack of attempted rescue.

The International Community at a Crossroads Over Iran: The reawakening of “illegal but legitimate” or the “law of self-preservation”?

"The tensions we have identified are particularly acute when a State faces an existential threat and, as in here, from an enemy long committed to radically unlawful behavior."

The United Kingdom’s Use of Force Against Iran: Walking a Legal Tightrope?

An assessment of the United Kingdom's ability to maintain a legal line between defensive versus offensive operations against Iran.

Top Questions the Trump Administration Needs to Answer on War with Iran

What Congress, journalists, and the public should ask the Trump administration about its war in Iran.
Screenshot of Memorandum for Legal Advisor, National Security Council Re: Proposed War Department Operation to Support Law Enforcement Efforts in Venezuela, published December 23, 2025.

The Trump Administration’s Theory of Constitutional War Powers: “The President Could Decide”

The legal memo justifying its Venezuela operations provides insight into the administration's use-of-force decisions and the factual evidence undergirding them.
A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Israel's defence ministry announced February 28 it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat.

International Reactions to Military Strikes on Iran: A Tipping Point for the UN Charter?

Positions taken at the UN Security Council are a harbinger of whether the legal cornerstone of the international order that is designed to maintain world peace can hold.
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 02: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R) looks on as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting of his Cabinet in the Cabinet Room of the White House on December 02, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Expert Q&A on U.S. Military Actions in Venezuela and Boat Strikes

Expert FAQ on the U.S. military operations against Venezuela, high seas boat strikes, seizure of vessels and more.
A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II taxis at a base in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Dec. 19, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Operation Hawkeye Strike: Attacking ISIS in Syria and International Law

International law, the new Syrian government, and U.S. military strikes against ISIS

Jus Ad Bellum: Syllabus Supplements

This syllabus supplement offers curated articles intended to be combined with traditional course books and other materials in a law school or higher education classroom.
Two crude oil tankers

Blockading Venezuela: The International Law Consequences

Expert analysis of the announced U.S. military blockade of Venezuela
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrives to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.

U.S. Boat Strike Campaign: Questions Congress Should Ask Executive Branch Officials

A list of questions that should be answered by U.S. government officials regarding the lethal campaign against suspected drug trafficking individuals, groups, and vessels.
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