TEHRAN - Brutal attacks by Israel and the United States on civilian centers have continued without interruption over the past two weeks. Meanwhile, international bodies have largely remained silent and have merely watched these events unfold.

Although these strikes were claimed to be focused on Iranian military facilities, from the very first moments, civilian locations were also targeted. The deadliest incident was an attack on a school in the southern city of Minab, which led to the deaths of about 170 students and teachers.

According to figures released by the Iranian Red Crescent Society, more than 24,000 civilian properties, including 19,775 residential units across the country have been damaged since the beginning of the strikes on Feb. 28.

Statistics from the IRCS show that a significant portion of the damage has directly affected people’s homes and daily lives. In addition, 4,511 commercial units have also been damaged, which could have serious economic and livelihood consequences for residents in the affected areas.

During these incidents, 160 medical, pharmaceutical, health and emergency centers were also damaged. These facilities normally stand on the front line of providing medical services and saving patients’ lives.

According to reports, 69 schools affiliated with the Ministry of Education have also been damaged. As a result of these incidents, 154 teachers and students have been killed and 195 others injured, showing the depth of the impact on the country’s educational community.

Sixteen Red Crescent centers have also suffered damage, and 21 rescue operation vehicles along with 19 ambulances belonging to the Red Crescent and emergency services have been damaged as well. In its rescue operations, seven relief workers sustained injuries in Tehran, Mahabad in northwest, and Khomein in central part of the country.

Such actions, according to relevant officials, have not only caused significant human suffering but are also considered serious violations of international humanitarian law that should be condemned and pursued by the international community.

As per international humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols, attacking civilian targets and destroying public facilities such as homes, schools and hospitals is a clear violation of human rights.

Such violations not only harm civilians but also threaten social security and public health, and they may have negative effects on the performance of international human rights institutions and on the trust that nations and countries place in these organizations.

The Geneva Conventions, adopted in 1949 and supplemented by additional protocols in 1977, specifically state that attacks against civilians and their property are prohibited. Article 53 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, vividly confirms that attacks on civilian property such as homes, schools and hospitals are forbidden.

In all armed conflicts, the protection of civilians and civilian facilities must be given priority. This principle is also emphasized in Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. According to these rules, attacks on civilian targets including residential, commercial and medical facilities cannot be justified under any circumstances.

However, the attacks carried out by Israel and the U.S. against civilian centers in Iran were not limited to wartime engagements but began in the very first moments of the military campaign and have continued since then.

These attacks, which have caused widespread damage to civilians and civilian infrastructure, could be classified as war crimes. According to Article 8 of the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), war crimes include serious violations of the laws and customs of war that harm human rights.

In this context, deliberate attacks on civilians, especially in cases where there is no specific military target and the aim is only to create fear and harm within society, may be considered war crimes.

These actions have not only caused casualties but have also destroyed the daily livelihoods of thousands of people.

United Nations Security Council

One of the most important institutions that can respond to serious violations of international humanitarian law is the United Nations Security Council.

The council can respond to such violations by issuing resolutions. These resolutions may include economic sanctions, travel bans on responsible officials, or even the authorization of military action to protect civilians. However, such measures require agreement and cooperation among the members of the council.

International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court is responsible for prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. If it is proven that these attacks intentionally targeted civilians, those responsible could face legal prosecution.

Through international trials, the court could hold those responsible for these attacks accountable at various legal levels.

National courts and special international tribunals

In addition to the International Criminal Court, countries may also prosecute those responsible for such attacks in their own national courts.

In certain cases, special international tribunals may also be created to address specific violations in particular regions or conflicts. These courts can investigate violations at both international and regional levels and prosecute those responsible.

Many in Iran believe that international institutions responsible for overseeing the implementation of international humanitarian law must remain independent and impartial. In their view, these organizations should not be influenced by certain countries or apply global rules selectively. 

They argue that international humanitarian law was created to protect all civilians and ensure justice, regardless of political power.

According to them, the response of international bodies has been limited, raising concerns about double standards in the enforcement of global laws during the ongoing conflict involving Iran on one side and the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel on the other.

They warn that when international institutions fail to act fairly, humanitarian principles risk becoming ineffective in practice. In such a situation, international law may appear “beautiful only on paper,” while in reality it serves the interests of powerful states rather than the universal values of justice and human rights.

AM