In brief
Recent US-Israeli attacks against Iran have highlighted a troubling erosion of established norms in international conflict. Amidst threats from President Trump to target Iranian energy infrastructure, experts are warning that the actions taken may amount to crimes under international law. Luis Moreno Ocampo, former chief prosecutor of the ICC, emphasized that such actions disrupt the global rules-based order designed to protect civilians. As both sides continue aggressive tactics, including strikes on critical energy facilities, the potential for drastic repercussions on civilian life and international stability grows.
The US-Israeli attacks against Iran, and the threats against its energy infrastructure, as well as Tehran's retaliation on its Gulf neighbours underline how the norms of starting and escalating international wars have been upended. US President Donald Trump has at least twice threatened to use overwhelming force against Iranian energy facilities. Last week, he said he would massively blow up Iran's South Pars gas field if Iran further retaliated against Qatari energy sites. And on Saturday, he said the US would obliterate Iran's various power plants, starting with the biggest one first if its leaders did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It comes amid mounting concern that the nature of this war is putting further, unprecedented strain on the global rules-based order. Luis Moreno Ocampo, founding chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), said the global rules-based order was designed to protect civilians and prevent nations from resorting to war other than in self-defence or when approved by the UN Security Council. He told the BBC that the war on Iran amounts to a crime of aggression under international law. Moreno Ocampo also stated that Trump's threats to bomb Iranian power plants, along with attacks by both Iran and Israel on energy infrastructure, do not constitute legitimate military targets. He likened such strikes to Russia's attacks on energy sites in Ukraine, for which Russian officials have faced indictment by the ICC for alleged war crimes. Moreno Ocampo explained, The cases of Russia in Ukraine or the US in Iran or in Venezuela is... called a crime of aggression. That means the use of armed forces by a state against the sovereignty, the territorial integrity or the political independence of another state, that's it. He further added that the current situation signifies a shift away from a rules-based system to a world ruled by the whims of leaders, citing the dangerous precedent this sets. The White House dismissed Moreno Ocampo's comments as ridiculous, asserting that Trump was taking decisive action to neutralize threats posed by Iran. They drew attention to Iran's own actions against civilians in the region as justification for their offensive measures. As the conflict intensifies, the repercussions on civilian infrastructure and international relations remain a focal point of concern, with numerous rights groups and analysts warning of potential humanitarian crises resulting from the attacks on key energy resources.
