Condemning the Counterstrike Without the Cause
On 12 March 2026, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution condemning Iran’s retaliatory strikes against Gulf states and Jordan, declaring them a “breach of international law and a serious threat to international peace and security.” While the resolution is silent on the ongoing US-Israeli bombing campaign, the larger problem is structural. Under the ius ad bellum framework the resolution purports to apply, the lawfulness of a use of force cannot be assessed in isolation from the use of force that preceded it.
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