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

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.

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........

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