United States-based students signal open letter elevating issues about conduct, rhetoric throughout US-Israeli conflict on Iran.
Printed On 3 Apr 2026
Greater than 100 United States-based worldwide legislation specialists have signed an open letter condemning US and Israeli navy strikes on Iran as a violation of the United Nations Constitution and probably amounting to “conflict crimes”.
The letter, revealed on Thursday, additionally mentioned the conduct of US forces and statements by senior US officers “increase critical issues about violations of worldwide human rights legislation and worldwide humanitarian legislation”.
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The students warned that the US-Israeli marketing campaign, which started on February 28, was launched with out UN Safety Council authorisation and with out credible proof of an imminent Iranian risk.
“Drive in opposition to one other state is solely permitted in self-defense in opposition to an precise or imminent armed assault or the place approved by the UN Safety Council. The Safety Council didn’t authorize the assault. Iran didn’t assault Israel or the USA,” the letter mentioned.
The specialists’ issues fall into 4 areas: the legality of the choice to go to conflict; the conduct of hostilities; threatening rhetoric from senior officers; and what they describe because the dismantling of civilian safety buildings contained in the US authorities underneath Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “gloves off” strategy to warfare.
The students highlighted a strike on a major faculty in Minab, Iran, on the primary day of the conflict that killed at the very least 175 folks, most of them youngsters, in addition to assaults on hospitals, water crops and power infrastructure.
“We’re critically involved about strikes which have hit colleges, well being services, and houses,” the letter mentioned.
‘Alarming disrespect’ for worldwide legislation
The letter additionally condemned public statements by senior US officers, together with President Donald Trump.
Particularly, it famous a mid-March remark from Trump the place he mentioned the US could conduct strikes on Iran “only for enjoyable”. It additionally cited feedback from Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth from early March during which he mentioned the US doesn’t combat with “silly guidelines of engagement”.
“Public statements by senior officers point out an alarming disrespect for the principles of worldwide humanitarian legislation accepted by states, and which shield each civilians and members of the armed forces,” the letter mentioned.
It additionally added that the conflict is costing US taxpayers as much as $2bn a day.
The letter was co-authored by distinguished authorized students together with Yale Regulation Faculty’s Oona Hathaway and Harold Koh, Philip Alston of NYU, and former Human Rights Watch chief Kenneth Roth.
The specialists mentioned that as a result of their connection to the US, their principal focus was on the conduct of that authorities, however they “stay involved in regards to the danger of atrocities throughout the area”.
Additionally they highlighted the “significance of equal software of worldwide legislation to all, together with nations that maintain themselves out as international leaders”, expressing concern in regards to the hurt this conflict is doing to the worldwide authorized order and the system of worldwide legislation.
The signatories are urging Washington to vary course, writing: “We urge US authorities officers to uphold the UN Constitution, worldwide humanitarian legislation, and human rights legislation always, and to publicly clarify US dedication to and respect for norms of worldwide legislation.”
