A Tale of Two Operations: A Complete Mockery of the Just War tradition and International Law

BY Pranay Kumar Shome

Operation Lion’s Roar and Operation Epic Fury are textbook examples of how legally unauthorized military actions can undermine the Just War tradition and international law.

 

The Middle East is once again on the edge. This time, Iran is again in the crosshairs of the United States and Israel. Following the template set by the duo during the June war last year, the United States and Israel once again launched coordinated military strikes across Iran that not only upended the lives of ordinary Iranians but also resulted in the deaths of scores of important Iranian theological, military, political, and scientific figures that were critical to the stability of the Islamic Republic.There is no doubt that America and Israel’s unilateral actions not only made a complete mockery of the Just War tradition and international law but also sent a dangerous message to the world—you can be next 

These strikes came amidst active talks between Iran and the United States in a third country with regard to the former’s nuclear program. While it was widely expected that Iran would offer some kind of concessions to the US in exchange for sanctions relief, what was completely unexpected was the ostensible betrayal of Iran’s goodwill by the United States via the military strikes.

This betrayal of trust played out in the form of two military operations—Operation Lion’s Roar and Operation Epic Fury. Both involve a surprise campaign of targeted assassinations of key Iranian figures and attacks on Iran’s missile and other defense programs.

The military operations, however, demand a detailed scrutiny from a theological-legal angle.

Violation of the Theology of War

A major part of Christian theology is dedicated to the idea of Just War—how war can be fought in a restrained and humane manner. This theological exposition was systematically formulated by St. Thomas Aquinas in his magnum opus book Summa Theologica. The first principle he outlined for a war to be legitimate was Justa Causa or the right cause for a sovereign authority to go to war. In the context of Iran, the Israeli and American governments ended up committing a sacrilege of the principle. They argued that the cause behind the attack was to prevent the government of Iran from creating a nuclear bomb, but time and again, Iran explicitly declared that their intention was never to create nuclear weapons; rather, they sought to harness the power of the atom for peaceful civilian nuclear purposes.

The next principle St. Aquinas articulated is Recta Intentio or Right Intention. The American-Israeli duo argued that their ‘preemptive strikes’ were meant to “free” the people of Iran from the “tyrannical” regime of the Ayatollahs. However, nothing could have been further from the truth—not only was the Islamic revolution of 1979 anchored in unprecedented popular supportagainst an infamous pro-Western government, but it was also meant to provide the people of Iran a choice—the choice of being free to decide for themselves in accordance with their indigenous traditions, free from the pernicious effects of the West. In addition to this, the outpouring of grief and condemnation of Israel and America’s military actions from across every nook and cranny of Iran is a testament to the ubiquitous support the theocratic government of Iran enjoys.

Mockery of International Law

A large part of the international legal regime is the outcome of the theological tradition of Just War. In that context, operations Epic Fury and Lion’s Roar blatantly violate international law on several counts. First, the military operations violate Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which calls on member states to refrain from the “threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state”; both countries’ actions took place without the clear declaration of war and the prior authorization from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

It further violates Article 51 of the UN Charter—the right of self-defense. There was no visible threat to the US and Israel from Iran, particularly at a time when Iran was busy in diplomatic negotiations with the United States and Gaza was coming back to normalcy. The attacks were designed to effect a “regime change” wherein a suitable pro-Western, puppet ruler could be installed by the US and Israel that would end up doing their bidding.

The next aspect is the principle of proportionality. International humanitarian law demands that the use of force in any conflict must be restrained, calculated, and calibrated. However, Operations Epic Fury and Lion’s Roar were anything but that. The attacks resulted in scores of civilian casualties, including at a school in Minab that resulted in the deaths of over a hundred innocent students. In addition, the airstrikes that targeted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed not only him but also several of his family members, raising critical questions about the use of excessive force. The latter, in fact, constitutes a violation of Rule 89 of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which expressly forbids violence against the lives of non-combatants.

Last but not least, it constitutes a violation of the spirit of diplomacy. Under Article 33 of the UN Charter, it is the duty of states to settle international disputes in a peaceful manner. The strikes were, in fact, a direct assault on the spirit of diplomacy as a tool for ensuring peaceful resolutions of conflicts.

Therefore, there is no doubt that America and Israel’s unilateral actions not only made a complete mockery of the Just War tradition and international law but also sent a dangerous message to the world—you can be next.

It is time for progressive forces of the world to unite to hold them accountable.

https://journal-neo.su/2026/03/03/a-tale-of-two-operations-a-complete-mockery-of-the-just-war-tradition-and-international-law/

 

READ FROM TOP.

 

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT — SINCE 2005.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.