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The U.S.-Iran War and the Laws of War: A Narrative Special
Part One: The Storm Breaks
After the twenty-third of the month, the world watched as the United States and its ally, Iraq, launched a series of coordinated attacks against Iran.
In one devastating strike, American forces reportedly targeted a primary school in southern Iran. More than one hundred and sixty people were killed. Most of them were children.
Within hours, Iran answered with overwhelming force. A barrage of ballistic missiles and drones was launched against Israeli and American military targets across the Gulf region. Iranian strikes hit multiple Israeli cities. They also struck several countries hosting American forces: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
Civilians died. Infrastructure was shattered. The war had truly begun.
Part Two: The Spreading Fire
On March second, Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon, launched rockets and drones into northern Israel. This came after Israel had already carried out more than seventy strikes against Hezbollah positions around Lebanon.
On March fifth, the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of everyone living south of the Klitani River. One week later, on March twelfth, Israel ordered more evacuations—this time for people living forty kilometers from the Lebanon border.
Then, on March twenty-eighth, militants in Yemen began firing missiles into Israel. The conflict was no longer just between nations. It was becoming a regional wildfire.
Thousands died. Tens of thousands were injured. In Lebanon alone, more than one point two million people were displaced from their homes.
Cities were not spared. Schools, hospitals, and homes were hit. The damage was catastrophic.
Part Three: The Oil Shock
At the same time, Iran threatened to attack the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway through which much of the world's oil passes. Shipping was blocked. Energy infrastructure was targeted. A global oil and gas crisis followed, sending prices soaring and economies trembling.
The sight of all this destruction raises a painful question: In the middle of such chaos, what value does international law still hold?
To answer that, we turn to an expert in international humanitarian law.
Part Four: A Conversation on the Laws of War
Narrator: We asked Ms. Polisikar to explain how international law governs armed conflict.
Ms. Polisikar: Thank you for raising this important topic. The question is not whether international law applies—it always applies. But we must look at the reality of this war. The United States and Iran are not signatories to the core treaties of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions of 1949. However, the general principles of the 1977 Additional Protocol have become universal. So even these nations are still bound by the basic rules of war.
Narrator: And what about the Gulf countries?
Ms. Polisikar: Nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and th
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NewsTranscript
00:00After February 23, the United States and its ally Iraq launched a series of coordinated
00:05attacks against Iran. In one of the most devastating strikes of the campaign,
00:10US forces reportedly targeted a primary school in southern Iran,
00:14killing more than 160 people, the majority of whom were students. Within hours,
00:20Iran responded with overwhelming force. A barrage of ballistic missiles and drones
00:24was launched against Israeli and US military targets across the Gulf region.
00:29The Iranian strikes hit multiple Israeli cities as well as several countries hosting US military
00:34forces, including Bar-e-Inka-White Israel Arabia's Udenaki's United Arab Emirates attacks resulted
00:40in significant civilian casualties, injuries, and widespread damage to infrastructure.
00:46The conflict spreads in March 2. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah group launched a series of rocket and
00:51drone strikes on northern Israel. This came after Israel had already conducted more than 70 strikes
00:57targeting Hezbollah positions around Lebanon. On March 5, the Israeli military announced
01:03the evacuation of all civilians living south of the Klitani River. Then, on March 12, Israel ordered
01:10additional evacuations for people living in the southern part of the Sarani River, an area located
01:15approximately 40 kilometers from the Israel-Lebanon border. By March 28, the conflict had drawn in yet
01:22another front. Militants in Yemen began firing missiles into Israel, further escalating regional tensions.
01:29Since the outbreak of the war between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran and Hezbollah
01:35on the other, a series of air strikes has resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries.
01:40In Lebanon alone, more than 1.2 million people have been displaced. The conflict has not only targeted military
01:46assets, but has also devastated urban areas and civilian infrastructure, causing severe and
01:53lasting damage. The threat to global energy at the same time, Iranian forces have been accused of
01:59threatening to attack the Strait of Hormuz, the most vital choke point for global energy supplies.
02:04Blockades of shipping lanes and attacks on energy infrastructure have contributed to a worldwide oil and gas crisis,
02:11driving up prices and threatening economic stability across the globe.
02:14The scale and brutality of this conflict raise a fundamental question. What value does international
02:20law hold when the world's most powerful nations go to war? To answer this, we turn to an expert in
02:26international humanitarian law. What international law governs armed conflict? The question of how
02:31international law governs armed conflict is essential to understanding the current crisis. No armed conflict
02:37exists outside the reach of international law. However, when we examine the US-Iran war,
02:43we see three major actors. None of these three countries are parties to the core treaty of
02:48international humanitarian war, the four Geneva Conventions of 1949. Nevertheless, even though the
02:54United States and Iran are not formal signatories to those conventions, the general provisions of
03:00Additional Protocol I of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions specify the means and methods of warfare. These provisions
03:06reflect international humanitarian law that is now considered universal. This means that the wars
03:12being waged are still subject to the principles of the Additional Protocol. What about the Gulf countries?
03:17Several Gulf nations including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait,
03:24and Bahrain are parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions as well as the 1977 Additional Protocol. They are
03:31directly affected by Iranian forces, which makes them active parties to the conflict. As such, they are
03:38entitled to apply the laws of war. And what about Hezbollah? They are not a state actor. That is correct.
03:44The third dimension of this conflict involves Israel and Hezbollah. Israel is a fully recognized state actor,
03:50but Hezbollah is not. Additionally, we see the role of healthy militants in Yemen, who have also attacked Israel.
03:57Even though these groups are not state actors, they cannot be exempted from international law.
04:03Common Article III of the 1949 Geneva Conventions specifically addresses non-state actors in the
04:09context of armed conflict. They remain bound by fundamental humanitarian principles.
04:14What are the basic principles of the laws of war? The laws of war are often called cruel, but in
04:19fact,
04:20they are laws designed to protect humanity during armed conflict. They are a form of international
04:25or humanitarian law that provides protection to civilians and unarmed groups. The core principles
04:30include 1. Distinction. Civilians must never be the primary target of an attack. Parties to a
04:37conflict must take the utmost care to distinguish between combatants and civilians. 2. Proportionality.
04:43Attacks must not cause harm to civilians that is excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage.
04:493. Precaution. All feasible precautions must be taken to avoid or minimize harm to civilians and
04:56civilian objects. For example, if a village has a civilian population of 10,000 and a military target
05:02is located there, attacking the entire city of 20,000 people would be a violation of international
05:09humanitarian law. What is the purpose of these laws in this war? The laws of war specify that only
05:15military objectives may be lawfully attacked. Military objectives include soldiers and combatants
05:20weapons, ammunition, and military equipment buildings used for military purposes and ordinary vehicles,
05:26if they are being used for military transport. Civilians are absolutely forbidden to be targeted.
05:32However, if civilians directly participate in hostilities, they may lose their protected status
05:38and become legitimate military targets. Attacks on civilian infrastructure such as homes,
05:43workplaces, churches, hospitals, schools, and cultural sites are strictly prohibited unless those sites are
05:51being used for military purposes. Even then, the principle of proportionality still applies. If the military
05:57uses a school as a hiding place, that school may become a target, but everything must be subject to the
06:03overriding interest of protecting humanity. What types of attacks are prohibited by international law?
06:08Several categories of attacks are absolutely prohibited. 1. Direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects.
06:16This is the most fundamental prohibition. 2. Indiscriminate attacks. The law does not allow attacks that do not
06:22distinguish between military objectives and civilian objects. Military leaders are required to be extremely
06:28selective in their targeting. They must avoid using weapons that pose a significant threat to civilian life.
06:343. Disproportionate attacks. Any attack that may cause incidental harm to civilians that is excessive in
06:41relation to the anticipated military advantage is prohibited. 4. Attacks that cause unnecessary
06:46suffering or superfluous injury. Does international human rights law still apply during armed conflict?
06:52International human rights law applies at all times, whether during peace or war. It operates alongside
06:59international humanitarian law. In the context of the US-Iran-Israel conflict, although some countries
07:05are not signatories to the Geneva Conventions, they are parties to other key human rights treaties,
07:11including… 5. Are statements by government officials such as using the word diamond
07:15to describe their intentions considered war crimes? That is an important question. Let me address what
07:21President Donald Trump said on social media, that the entire civilization of Iran will die tonight.
07:27There is no turning back. He also threatened to destroy Iran's energy plants and push Iran into a
07:34prolonged war. Similarly, Iranian officials have declared that they will attack companies, banks,
07:39and commercial ships of all countries, considering them military targets. Israeli officials have made
07:45statements about continuing to target Lebanon. These statements alone have not yet become war crimes.
07:51However, under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, officials can be prosecuted if they are
07:57found to have ordered the implementation of war crimes. If their statements are directly linked to
08:02orders that result in war crimes, they may be held criminally responsible. Furthermore, incitement to
08:08commit genocide is itself a war crime under the Genocide Convention. What are the restrictions on the use of
08:14lethal weapons in populated areas? High explosive weapons, including bombs, artillery shells, and missiles pose a
08:21grave danger to civilians when used in cities, towns and villages. Their explosive radius, fragmentation,
08:27and blast effects can cause catastrophic harm. Defense and human rights organizations often warn that such
08:34attacks can have long-term, serious humanitarian consequences. Attacks that damage power plants,
08:40health facilities, water systems, and sanitation infrastructure affect the ability of civilians to access
08:46essential services. A political declaration on the protection of civilians from the use of explosive
08:52weapons in populated areas was adopted to address this issue. Although this declaration is not legally binding,
08:59it represents a strong political commitment. More than 90 countries have endorsed it. The United States
09:05pledged to ratify it in 2022. Iran has not ratified it. It is worth noting that during the war in
09:11Syria,
09:11Iran was accused of using explosive weapons in populated areas, which would violate this
09:17political declaration. Is there any law prohibiting the use of anti-personnel mines and cluster bombs?
09:23The Minebun Treaty of 1997 prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines.
09:31It requires that all such mines be destroyed. The law makes no distinction between mines used
09:36against civilians or against soldiers. They are prohibited entirely. Similarly,
09:40the Convention on Cluster Munitions of 2008 prohibits the use, production, and transfer of all cluster
09:48munitions and requires their destruction. However, in the context of the US-Iran war,
09:53neither the United States nor Iran is a party to these two treaties. Nevertheless, the prohibitions
09:59reflect customary international law, and their use would still be widely condemned. What about white
10:04phosphorus? Is its use legal? White phosphorus is a chemical substance found in artillery shells,
10:10bombs, and rockets. When it comes into contact with oxygen, it burns rapidly and intensely. It is
10:17typically used for signaling, marking military targets, or creating smoke screens. However,
10:22it also causes severe harm. When white phosphorus burns in agricultural areas, homes,
10:27or civilian neighborhoods, it can cause long-term, difficult-to-treat burns, and serious illness.
10:33The laws of war prohibit the use of incendiary weapons in civilian areas. Human rights which
10:39documented the use of white phosphorus from 2023 to 2024 in several villages in southern Lebanon,
10:46with Israel as the user, such use forces civilians to abandon their homes to avoid the risk of severe
10:52burns and death. Is shutting down the internet illegal? We have seen Iran shut down internet access
10:57during this war. Shutting down the internet and phone networks creates grave dangers.
11:02It prevents civilians from communicating, learning about debts, finding out about displacement,
11:08accessing rescue services, or locating food and shelter in a timely manner. It also hinders the
11:14work of journalists and human rights groups who are trying to document the situation.
11:18Under international human rights law, governments have an obligation to ensure that restrictions on
11:24communication are necessary, proportionate, and limited. A complete internet shutdown is highly
11:30questionable. The 2015 Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Responses to Conflict Situations,
11:36issued by experts and special rapporteurs, declared that in times of war, no matter how severe,
11:43disconnecting civilians from the internet cannot be considered acceptable.
11:47It violates the rights to assembly, free speech, and information.
11:51What is a prisoner of war, and can prisoners of war be denied access by humanitarian organizations?
11:57According to the Third Geneva Convention of 1949, a prisoner of war is a combatant in an
12:04international armed conflict who has fallen into the hands of an enemy.
12:08This includes members of armed forces and militias who meet specific criteria.
12:12Even journalists accompanying the armed forces may be considered prisoners of war.
12:16Prisoners of war cannot be prosecuted simply for being combatants. They must be given a status
12:21review to determine whether they have committed war crimes. If not, they cannot be prosecuted.
12:27However, there is a gap. The Geneva Conventions do not explicitly protect prisoners of war who are
12:33members of non-state actors like Hezbollah. This could mean that if Hezbollah fighters are captured,
12:38they may not receive POW protections. Instead, they would be treated as civilians in enemy hands.
12:44As for access, the Geneva Conventions allow the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC
12:50and other humanitarian organizations to visit prisoners of war. Visits must be conducted with
12:56confidentiality, but they cannot be arbitrarily denied. Are war crimes tried by the International
13:02Criminal Court? The International Criminal Court ICC is a permanent international court with a mandate to
13:08investigate, prosecute, and try individuals suspected of committing genocide, crimes against humanity,
13:14and war crimes. It has been effective since 1991. However, there are significant limitations.
13:20The ICC has jurisdiction only when 1. The crime occurred on the territory of a state party to
13:27the Rome Statute, the ICC's founding treaty, or 2. The accused person is a citizen of a state party to
13:34the Rome Statute, or 3. A non-party state accepts the ICC's jurisdiction through an official declaration,
13:40or 4. The United Nations Security Council refers the case to the ICC. In the current conflict,
13:46the United States, Israel, and many Gulf states are not parties to the Rome Statute. This creates a
13:53significant gap in accountability.
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