More than 100 international law experts signed a letter, published on April 2, 2026, that expressed concern about the conduct of the United States government and military in the war in Iran. In a coauthored piece for Just Security, CERL Advisory Council Member takes issue with a section of the letter concluding that the U.S. strike on the primary school was a potential war crime. The authors argue that the methodology underlying the section is troubling, and that the letter does not consider “the operational context and targeting rationale” of the commanders who oversee the execution of the war against Iran. 

Geoffrey S. Corn is the George R. Killam, Jr. Chair of Criminal Law and Director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law. A retired U.S. Army Judge Advocate Officer, he served as the Army’s senior law of war advisor. He is also a member of the CERL Advisory Council. Read his bio here.    

The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of any organization or university.