UN Experts Condemn US-Israel Strikes on Iran as "Violations of International Law"

UN experts have sharply criticized the United States and Israel over ongoing military operations targeting Iran and escalating hostilities in Lebanon, warning that the conflict risks triggering a broader regional crisis.

The experts said the attacks represent clear violations of international law and warned that continued escalation could set a precedent of impunity for powerful states using force without authorization.

The experts, a coalition of UN Special Rapporteurs and independent human rights mandate holders, argued that the strikes occurred while negotiations were still underway and therefore cannot be justified under the legal framework governing the use of force.

The conflict risks engulfing the wider region in catastrophic armed violence and threatens to set yet another precedent of total impunity for some of the world’s strongest military powers.

UN Experts

They described the strikes as an “unprovoked attack” and stressed that military action under such circumstances constitutes an act of aggression under international law.

The warning comes amid widening regional tensions and mounting civilian casualties linked to the air campaign.

According to the experts, one strike on a girls’ school in Iran resulted in the deaths of at least 180 students, while attacks on oil refineries triggered environmental consequences including acid rain.

They also cited strikes on a desalination plant, highlighting the vulnerability of civilian infrastructure in a heavily urbanized region where 75 to 80 percent of the population lives in cities.

The experts emphasized that neither human rights concerns nor political disputes can justify foreign military intervention aimed at altering another country’s political system.

“U.S. and Israel should stop waging and expanding wars, and considering themselves as above international legality,” the experts said.

They also criticized Washington’s calls for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and comments suggesting that the United States could influence or determine Iran’s future leadership.

No violations of human rights in Iran or elsewhere provide any legal or moral justification for an unwarranted interference with the sovereignty of a UN Member State and an illegal attack.

UN Experts

The experts reiterated that the principle of national sovereignty under the United Nations Charter leaves decisions about governance to a country’s population alone.

While acknowledging Iran’s right to self-defense, the experts also warned Tehran against retaliatory strikes that could violate international humanitarian law. They noted that attacks against civilian targets, including desalination facilities and residential towers in Gulf states, would themselves constitute unlawful conduct.

“Any loss of life in an illegal war is a violation of the right to life,” the experts said, calling for independent investigations into potential war crimes linked to the ongoing fighting.

They also expressed concern about the use of artificial intelligence-guided weapons systems, warning that the use of heavy weapons in densely populated urban environments significantly raises the risk of civilian casualties.

The experts also condemned Israel’s expanding military operations in Lebanon, particularly evacuation orders issued to residents in South Lebanon and southern Beirut. According to the statement, these directives combined with sustained bombardment have forced at least 700,000 people to flee their homes.

“The orders issued to the inhabitants of South Lebanon and southern Beirut to leave their homes are blatantly illegal,” the experts said.

They warned that the scale of displacement could constitute another war crime if civilians were forcibly removed under conditions of ongoing bombardment.

The experts also criticized the failure of the UN Security Council to intervene effectively in the crisis. “This dereliction is irreversibly pushing the world towards a precipice,” they said, urging an immediate ceasefire and calling for an international peace conference aimed at stabilizing the Middle East.