Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

A group of more than 100 legal scholars based in the United States have signed a letter claiming that recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran breach international law and could amount to war crimes.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: According to US Central Command, the United States and Israel have carried out more than 12,300 strikes across Iran since late February, targeting a wide range of military objectives, including infrastructure, weapons systems, and over 155 naval vessels that were damaged or destroyed. The campaign has resulted in more than 1,340 deaths inside Iran, while the United States has lost 13 service members, with approximately 303 others injured. In response, Iran has launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks targeting Israel and Gulf countries hosting US forces, including strikes that have hit civilian areas and infrastructure in those regions.

What’s going on now: In a letter signed by notable legal scholars, including Yale Law School professor Oona Hathaway, former U.S. State Department legal adviser Harold Koh, NYU law professor Philip Alston, and former Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth, the group argues that the campaign was unlawful from the outset, stating that “the initiation of the campaign was a clear violation of the United Nations Charter” because “force against another state is only permitted in self-defense against an actual or imminent armed attack or where authorized by the UN Security Council.” They stressed that “the Security Council did not authorize the attack” and that “there is no evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat,” rejecting the legal basis for the strikes.

The letter further claims that US operations could violate both international human rights law and the laws governing armed conflict, including the possibility of war crimes, pointing specifically to attacks on “schools, health facilities, and homes.”

The signatories outlined a range of alleged violations, including strikes on civilian infrastructure such as energy systems, water facilities, and residential areas, which they argue must meet strict standards under the laws of war.

A key example cited is the strike on a primary school in Minab on the first day of the war, which reportedly killed more than 150 people, many of them children. The letter states the attack “likely violates international humanitarian law” and adds that if those responsible were reckless, “it could also be a war crime.” Although the U.S. has not definitively confirmed responsibility, a preliminary investigation has indicated it was likely a U.S. strike, and growing evidence (including video footage that appears to show a U.S.-made missile hitting the site) has intensified scrutiny over how the target was selected and whether outdated intelligence played a role.

The letter also raises concern about statements by President Trump threatening to target Iran’s power plants and critical infrastructure, warning that such attacks could be unlawful because they affect objects essential to civilian survival. At the same time, some officials and analysts argue these strikes could be justified if the infrastructure is considered “dual-use” and supports military operations, potentially making it a legitimate target.

As of now, the White House has not commented on the letter.

Some of the signatories:

Sarah Harrison — Former Associate General Counsel, U.S. Department of Defense

Daniel Maurer — Lieutenant Colonel (ret.), U.S. Army; Associate Professor of Law, Ohio Northern University

Stephen J. Rapp — Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice

Beth Van Schaack — Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice; Visiting Fellow, European University Institute

Jonathan Tracy — Former Judge Advocate, U.S. Army

William J. Aceves — Chief Justice Roger Traynor Professor of Law, California Western School of Law

E. Tendayi Achiume — Professor of Law, Stanford Law School

Rabiat Akande — Wilson H. Elkins Chair and Associate Professor, University of Maryland School of Law

Susan Akram — Clinical Professor of Law, Boston University School of Law

Philip Alston — NYU School of Law

José E. Alvarez — NYU School of Law

Diane Marie Amann — Visiting Professor, LSE Law School; Former ICC Adviser

Baher Azmy — Legal Director, Center for Constitutional Rights

Sandra L. Babcock — Clinical Professor, Cornell Law School

Aslı Ü. Bâli — Yale Law School

Thomas B. Becker, Jr. — Legal & Policy Director, University Network for Human Rights

Carolyn P. Blum — Clinical Professor Emerita, UC Berkeley

Christine Bustany — Senior Lecturer, Fletcher School

Charli Carpenter — Professor, UMass Amherst

Christina M. Cerna — Adjunct Professor (ret.), Georgetown

Sandra Coliver — Former Executive Director, Center for Justice and Accountability

Jorge Contesse — Rutgers Law School
Cody Corliss — West Virginia University

Avidan Y. Cover — Case Western Reserve

Rebecca Crootof — University of Richmond

Jamil Dakwar — Director, ACLU Human Rights Program

Tom Dannenbaum — Stanford Law School

Frederick T. Davis — Columbia Law School

Christian M. De Vos — CUNY School of Law

Laura Dickinson — George Washington University