All articles tagged with #war crime
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth angrily dismissed a reporter’s question about whether U.S. strikes on Iran and civilian infrastructure could be a war crime, defending the plan as targeting Iran’s capabilities amid escalating tensions and Trump’s vow for more strikes.
Two Israeli air strikes on a building in Majdal Zoun, southern Lebanon, killed nine people, including three Lebanese Civil Defense rescue workers who were responding to the first strike; two Lebanese soldiers were wounded. Israel said it targeted a Hezbollah commander nearby and is reviewing details, while rights groups warn that deliberate attacks on medics could amount to a war crime. The attack comes during a US-brokered ceasefire that has reduced but not stopped fighting.
Lebanon’s prime minister denounced an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon as a war crime after it killed Amal Khalil, a veteran journalist with Al-Akhbar, and wounded Zeinab Faraj; Lebanese rescuers say they were blocked from reaching the scene for hours and that a Red Cross ambulance was fired upon. The Israeli Defense Forces deny targeting journalists, saying it struck vehicles and later a building that posed an immediate threat, while publishers and unions urge accountability amid a fragile ceasefire extension and ongoing regional tensions.
The Israeli military destroyed entire border villages in south Lebanon with remote detonations, claiming they targeted Hezbollah infrastructure embedded in civilian homes. Rights groups warn the mass destruction could amount to war crimes, while Israel says it will establish a security zone up to the Litani River and bar returns until northern Israeli cities are safe, leaving residents displaced and their communities erased.
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel used a Taco Tuesday gag to mock Donald Trump's two-week pause on threatening Iran, arguing that attacking Iran's power grid would be a war crime and quipping that Trump should lock himself up as he highlighted GOP critics and the talks around the twenty-fifth amendment.
Senator Mark Kelly condemned Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon briefing line about delivering “no quarter” to enemies, arguing such an order would amount to killing prisoners and violate the laws of armed conflict, potentially exposing U.S. troops to risk. Critics cite Hague Conventions and ICC statutes that treating enemies as non-prisoners can be a war crime, with the exchange occurring amid broader debates over war-messaging and Iran-related tensions.
A hypothetical DoD General Counsel memo following SecDef Hegseth’s “no quarter” remarks warns the statements could amount to counseling or ordering a war crime under Hague IV and the War Crimes Act, risking criminal liability for him and subordinates. It urges a public retract and a clear message that no quarter will be tolerated, with investigations and potential prosecutions under 18 U.S.C. 2441 and the UCMJ.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon will not publicly release the controversial video of a second strike on a drug boat off Venezuela, citing long-standing policy and classification as 'top-secret,' despite calls from Democrats and Republicans for transparency and concerns over potential war crimes.
Sen. Tim Kaine expressed concern that a reported U.S. follow-on strike on a drug smuggling boat may constitute a war crime if the allegations are true, raising questions about legality and adherence to international laws, with lawmakers calling for investigations and potential war powers resolutions.
A Ukrainian court sentenced Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov to life in prison for executing a Ukrainian prisoner of war, marking the first such conviction by Ukraine, highlighting ongoing concerns over war crimes committed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The UN has called for accountability over Israel's double bombing of Gaza's Nasser hospital, which killed 20 people including journalists, raising concerns of war crimes. The incident has sparked international outrage and questions about targeting media and rescue workers. Meanwhile, protests continue in Israel, and other global political developments include US legal battles, tariffs, and conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Donald Trump reportedly delivered a letter from First Lady Melania Trump to Vladimir Putin, highlighting the plight of Ukrainian children abducted during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has been condemned as a war crime and a form of child trafficking. The letter's contents are unknown, but it underscores ongoing concerns about the abduction and deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children, with international calls for their return and condemnation of Russia's actions.
Two Israelis are being questioned in Belgium over allegations of war crimes related to Gaza, according to reports, amid ongoing investigations into the conflict.
The article condemns Israel's plan to 'concentrate and move the population' in Gaza as a war crime under international law, arguing that it meets the criteria for illegal deportation and crimes against humanity, and calls for disobedience to such orders.
The Israeli military used a 500lb MK-82 bomb in an attack on a Gaza cafe, resulting in significant civilian casualties, raising concerns among experts about potential war crimes due to the disproportionate and indiscriminate nature of the strike in a crowded civilian area.