UN Experts Condemn U.S. and Israeli Military Assaults on Iran and Lebanon

A group of United Nations human rights experts has strongly condemned ongoing military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran and Lebanon, warning that the attacks constitute serious violations of international law and risk triggering a wider regional war.

In a statement released Thursday, the experts said the escalating conflict threatens to engulf the Middle East in catastrophic armed violence while reinforcing a dangerous precedent of impunity for powerful military states.

"The conflict risks engulfing the wider region in catastrophic armed violence and threatens to set yet another precedent of total impunity for some of the world's strongest military powers," the experts said.

UN Experts Call Attacks on Iran "Illegal Acts of Aggression"

The UN experts said the unprovoked military strike on Iran by the United States and Israel, carried out while diplomatic negotiations were still ongoing, violates international law and amounts to an act of aggression.

They warned that such actions undermine the legal framework designed to prevent international conflicts.

"U.S. and Israel should stop waging and expanding wars, and considering themselves as above international legality," the experts said.

The statement also criticised calls from Washington for Iran's "unconditional surrender" and public comments suggesting support for regime change.

According to the experts, such rhetoric risks prolonging the conflict and escalating human suffering across the region.

Sovereignty and Self-Determination Must Be Respected

The experts stressed that human rights concerns within Iran cannot legally justify military intervention or interference in the sovereignty of a UN member state.

"No violations of human rights in Iran or elsewhere provide any legal or moral justification for an unwarranted interference with the sovereignty of a UN Member State and an illegal attack," they said.

They emphasised that the Iranian people alone have the right to determine their political future, free from foreign interference.

"Only the Iranian people can decide their own future, in full sovereignty, and in line with the principles of the rule of law and respect for human rights," the experts added.

The statement also criticised what it described as decades of U.S. intervention in Iran and across the Middle East, including coups, military operations and unilateral sanctions, which the experts say have contributed to long-term instability.

Calls for Investigations Into Possible War Crimes

The UN experts called for independent international investigations into several reported attacks that could constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law.

Among the incidents cited were:

• a strike on a girls' school in Iran reportedly killing at least 180 students• attacks on Iranian oil refineries, which allegedly caused environmental damage including acid rain• strikes targeting a desalination plant, critical infrastructure supplying water to civilian populations

They stressed that any civilian deaths resulting from illegal warfare represent a violation of the right to life under international human rights law.

Concerns Over Iran's Retaliatory Strikes

While affirming that Iran has the right to self-defence under international law, the experts warned that retaliatory attacks against civilian infrastructure are also illegal.

They expressed concern over reported Iranian strikes targeting desalination facilities and residential buildings in neighbouring Gulf countries, saying such actions could violate international humanitarian law.

All parties to the conflict must cease attacks on civilian targets immediately, the experts said.

Urban Warfare Risks Devastating Civilian Populations

The UN experts highlighted the extreme danger posed by modern air warfare in the Middle East, noting that 75–80 percent of the region's population lives in urban areas.

They warned that large-scale bombing campaigns using heavy weapons—often reportedly guided by artificial intelligence targeting systems—would disproportionately harm civilians.

"We are alarmed at the prospect that the kind of large-scale destruction and violence seen in Gaza could be extended to Iran, Lebanon and other countries in the region," the experts said.

They cautioned that such a scenario could plunge the world into a "moral and legal abyss" with devastating humanitarian consequences.

Escalation in Lebanon Raises War Crime Concerns

The experts also condemned Israel's expanding military operations in Lebanon, warning that the escalation could constitute an act of aggression.

Particularly concerning were evacuation orders issued to residents of South Lebanon and southern Beirut, which the experts described as unlawful.

"The orders issued to the inhabitants of South Lebanon and southern Beirut to leave their homes are blatantly illegal," they said.

Combined with ongoing bombardment, these actions have reportedly forced at least 700,000 people to flee, a mass displacement that the experts said could amount to a war crime.

UN Security Council Criticised for Inaction

The experts also criticised the United Nations Security Council for failing to act decisively to halt the escalating conflict.

They warned that the Council's inability to maintain international peace and security risks pushing the world toward a dangerous tipping point.

"This dereliction is irreversibly pushing the world towards a precipice," the experts said.

Call for Immediate Ceasefire and Peace Talks

To prevent further escalation, the UN experts called for an immediate ceasefire by all parties and urged the international community to convene a comprehensive peace conference aimed at addressing the region's long-term security and political challenges.

They also confirmed that they have engaged directly with relevant authorities regarding the concerns raised in their findings.

The experts stressed that urgent diplomatic action is needed to prevent the conflict from spreading further and to protect millions of civilians across the Middle East.