On 13 June, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched ‘Operation Rising Lion’ against the Islamic Republic of Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, missile sites, military leadership, and nuclear scientists. In the first wave, missile strikes were conducted with 200 aircraft and a number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to engage over a 100 targets. On the first day alone, IDF’s strikes reportedly killed 78 individuals and injured 329 civilians.

Was this attack lawful under the doctrine of anticipatory self-defence and did it comply with the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)?

The legal framework governing a state’s use of force includes jus ad bellum and jus ad bello. Jus ad bellum, derived from Article 2 (4) and 51 of the Charter of the United Nations (UN), permits the ‘use of force’ and ‘self-defence’ against any state in case of an existential or imminent threat. On the other hand, jus ad bello, known as International Humanitarian Law (IHL) or........

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