The U.S.-Iran War and the Laws of War: A Narrative Special
Part One: The Storm Breaks
After the twenty-third of the month, the world watched as the United States and its ally, Iraq, launched a series of coordinated attacks against Iran.
In one devastating strike, American forces reportedly targeted a primary school in southern Iran. More than one hundred and sixty people were killed. Most of them were children.
Within hours, Iran answered with overwhelming force. A barrage of ballistic missiles and drones was launched against Israeli and American military targets across the Gulf region. Iranian strikes hit multiple Israeli cities. They also struck several countries hosting American forces: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
Civilians died. Infrastructure was shattered. The war had truly begun.
Part Two: The Spreading Fire
On March second, Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon, launched rockets and drones into northern Israel. This came after Israel had already carried out more than seventy strikes against Hezbollah positions around Lebanon.
On March fifth, the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of everyone living south of the Klitani River. One week later, on March twelfth, Israel ordered more evacuations—this time for people living forty kilometers from the Lebanon border.
Then, on March twenty-eighth, militants in Yemen began firing missiles into Israel. The conflict was no longer just between nations. It was becoming a regional wildfire.
Thousands died. Tens of thousands were injured. In Lebanon alone, more than one point two million people were displaced from their homes.
Cities were not spared. Schools, hospitals, and homes were hit. The damage was catastrophic.
Part Three: The Oil Shock
At the same time, Iran threatened to attack the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway through which much of the world's oil passes. Shipping was blocked. Energy infrastructure was targeted. A global oil and gas crisis followed, sending prices soaring and economies trembling.
The sight of all this destruction raises a painful question: In the middle of such chaos, what value does international law still hold?
To answer that, we turn to an expert in international humanitarian law.
Part Four: A Conversation on the Laws of War
Narrator: We asked Ms. Polisikar to explain how international law governs armed conflict.
Ms. Polisikar: Thank you for raising this important topic. The question is not whether international law applies—it always applies. But we must look at the reality of this war. The United States and Iran are not signatories to the core treaties of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions of 1949. However, the general principles of the 1977 Additional Protocol have become universal. So even these nations are still bound by the basic rules of war.
Narrator: And what about the Gulf countries?
Ms. Polisikar: Nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and th
