The foundational prohibition on the use of force in international relations. States may not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of other states, with only narrow exceptions for self-defense and Security Council authorization.
Source
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter
Article
Article 2(4)
Related incidents
12 incidents
Updated April 7, 2026Foreign Policy & War
War Crime / Crime Against HumanityOngoingReported record
Trump's explicit threat to destroy Iran's civilian power infrastructure constitutes a per se violation of international humanitarian law. The threats escalated from 'obliterate' to a promise of …
Trump explicitly threatened to 'obliterate' Iran's power plants, which Amnesty International assessed as a 'threat to commit war crimes' -- …
As of March 21, 2026, the Iran war has killed at least 5,900 people including 595 documented civilians, according to the Hengaw …
The US unilaterally struck a sovereign African nation for the first time, firing Tomahawk cruise missiles at Sokoto State. Locals disputed the ISIS narrative, unexploded ordnance fell in villages, and …
The US fired over a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles from the USS Paul Ignatius in the Gulf of Guinea, striking at least 16 targets in Sokoto …
At least four missile warheads failed to explode and fell short of targets, landing in the villages of Offa, Zugurma, and Jabo, creating an …
A large-scale US retaliatory bombing campaign in Syria following the deaths of three Americans near Palmyra. The scale of the operation — hundreds of munitions across dozens of targets in populated …
On December 19, 2025, the US launched Operation Hawkeye Strike with over 100 munitions on 70+ ISIS targets across Syria, using A-10s, F-16s, …
The operation was retaliatory — responding to the December 13 Palmyra attack that killed two US soldiers (Sgt. Edgar Torres-Tovar and Sgt. …
Trump demanded $500 billion from a nation under active invasion, publicly humiliated its president in the Oval Office, suspended aid and intelligence, and conditioned continued support on a minerals …
The Trump administration initially demanded a $500 billion share of Ukraine's rare earths and minerals as 'repayment' for US aid. Zelenskyy …
A February 28, 2025 Oval Office meeting devolved into a confrontation where VP Vance asked Zelenskyy 'Have you said thank you even once?' …
A systematic campaign to destroy the International Criminal Court's ability to hold Americans accountable for war crimes, combining unprecedented sanctions on judges with demands to rewrite the Rome …
On February 6, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14203 imposing sanctions on the ICC, blocking property of the Chief Prosecutor …
The administration demanded three conditions: the ICC must guarantee it will not investigate Trump or his top officials, drop investigations …
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Updated March 25, 2026Military Overreach
War Crime / Crime Against HumanityOngoingReported record
The United States launched a major war against Iran without congressional authorization, without a UN Security Council mandate, and while diplomatic channels remained open. Legal experts, the Brennan …
On February 28, 2026, the US and Israel launched nearly 900 airstrikes in 12 hours against Iran under 'Operation Epic Fury,' killing Supreme …
Approximately 170 civilians were killed when a missile struck a girls' school adjacent to a naval base in Minab, near Bandar Abbas.
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Updated March 25, 2026Foreign Policy & War
War Crime / Crime Against HumanityOngoingReported record
A Tomahawk cruise missile struck a girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran, killing up to 180 schoolchildren in one of the deadliest single incidents of civilian harm in the 2026 Iran war. …
A US Tomahawk cruise missile struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan province, Iran, on February 28, 2026, …
The school was 'triple-tapped' — struck three distinct times. Analysis showed missiles hit a nearby military base and the school but …
Sources
7
Documents
1
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Updated March 25, 2026Military Overreach
War Crime / Crime Against HumanityOngoingReported record
The United States launched a unilateral military intervention in Venezuela, bombing infrastructure and capturing the sitting head of state, without Congressional authorization, UN Security Council …
The US launched Operation Absolute Resolve on January 3, 2026, bombing Venezuelan infrastructure and capturing President Nicolas Maduro …
The operation included bombing to suppress air defenses across northern Venezuela followed by a special operations raid on Maduro's compound …
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Updated March 25, 2026Foreign Policy & War
Serious Rights ViolationOngoingOfficial executive action
The US was the sole dissenter blocking Gaza ceasefire resolutions supported by all other Security Council members, while famine and allegations of genocide continued in Gaza. The pattern of vetoes …
In June 2025, the US cast its sole veto against a resolution demanding 'an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza' — the …
In September 2025, the US vetoed another ceasefire resolution, the sixth such veto, being the only member to not support it. The vote took …
The US threatened Colombia with 25-50% tariffs, visa bans, and customs inspections to coerce acceptance of military deportation flights. Colombia capitulated within hours, establishing a precedent for …
Trump announced 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods (escalating to 50% within one week), a travel ban, visa revocations for government …
Colombian President Petro's objection was specifically to the use of military aircraft for deportation flights, arguing it treated migrants …
The administration threatened military and economic coercion to annex Greenland and reclaim the Panama Canal, with the Pentagon developing actual invasion plans, before partially walking back the …
Trump refused to rule out military or economic force to annex Greenland and threatened a 25% tariff on EU goods unless Denmark ceded the …
The Pentagon developed military options for the Panama Canal ranging from closer cooperation to outright invasion, per NBC News reporting.
A naval blockade of Venezuelan oil exports drew condemnation from UN experts as a violation of fundamental international law, with legal analysts characterizing it as an act of war imposed without …
Trump announced a 'TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE' of sanctioned oil tankers going to and from Venezuela in December 2025.
UN experts declared the blockade violated 'fundamental rules of international law,' characterizing it as an unlawful use of force.