Are the US-Israel strikes on Iran a 'just war'?

Christian Just War theory represents one of the most influential ethical traditions for evaluating the moral legitimacy of warfare.

Developed within Christian theology but later influencing secular international ethics and law, the theory attempts to reconcile two competing commitments: the Christian call to peace; and the moral responsibility of political authorities to protect the innocent and oppose those threatening harm to others.

In the context of the 2026 military attack by the United States and Israel on Iran, Just War theory provides a framework through which the morality of the conflict can be evaluated. While some arguments suggest that the intervention could be justified as an act of self-defence against a serious security threat, other considerations – particularly regarding the criteria of last resort, proportionality, and civilian harm – raise significant doubts about whether the war meets the classical standards of a "Just War" in Christian ethical terms.