The top legal adviser to the UK government has raised questions regarding the lawfulness of Israel’s actions in Iran, according to a source familiar with the government discussions. The concern, held by Attorney General Richard Hermer and undisclosed to the public, could potentially limit the UK’s support for Israel or the US in any forthcoming actions against Iran, even if British personnel are targeted.
The source specified that without a clear legal justification from the Attorney General, the UK’s involvement in the conflict could be limited. This issue ذيƒ️concerns the UK’s stance should it need to defend Israel or support US military actions against Iran.
US President Donald Trump is currently considering his options regarding Iran and has previously hinted at the possibility of US military involvement. The Attorney General’s consideration suggests a complication in providing legal backing for a UK involvement in the event of military strikes on Iran.
The UK’s military has previously assisted Israel in defense against Iranian missile and drone strikes. However, in the current conflict, which includes Israeli targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities and military infrastructure, the UK has not been involved. The UN’s nuclear watchdog has expressed worries regarding attacks on nuclear facilities both due to the inherent risks and legal implications.
Different countries have varying interpretations regarding the use of force to preempt future threats. Some allow for preventive actions, others for immediate reactions, or actions after an attack has occurred. Legal experts suggest that Israel’s actions may meet the ‘proportionality’ threshold due to the military and nuclear nature of its targets, but the necessity of the actions at this time is less clear. The Attorney General’s key concern is likely the definition of “imminence” in the Iranian threat against Israel.
Legal advice can be nuanced and evolve over time. For example, leading up to the 2003 Gulf War, the US and UK justified their action by claiming that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction—a claim later found to be false. The then-attorney general’s evolving advice was crucial in Tony Blair’s decision to support President Bush in attacking Iraq.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/uk-attorney-general-has-concerns-over-iran-israel-war-13385688
