Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, an unprecedented preemptive military attack on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, hours after the UN’s IAEA declared Iran in breach for the first time in 20 years. The targeted strikes have been carried out against senior Iranian military personnel and nuclear scientists, as well as critical military infrastructure, including Iranian air defense systems, ballistic missile storage and production facilities, and nuclear facilities. Prime Minister Netanyahu defended the attacks as a necessary act of self-defense. “If this were not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time-it could be a year, or it could be a few months,” he said.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed revenge, saying that Israel “should expect severe punishment.” Another senior Iranian official threatened that “nowhere in Israel would be safe and revenge would be painful.” Israeli media reported that Khamenei personally ordered attacks against Israeli civilian population centers.
The Islamic Republic began targeting Israeli civilians almost immediately on Friday morning with 100 drones, all of which were intercepted. From Friday night to the early hours of Sunday morning (June 13-15), Iran launched several waves of indiscriminate ballistic missile and drone attacks against Israeli civilians throughout Israel, killing at least 13 civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, and wounding 390.
Israeli Casualties and Damage Caused by Iranian Missiles
The following data is up to date as of June 15, 2025, 4:30 PM CET
- 270 ballistic missiles launched by Iran against Israeli civilians
- 22 impact sites
- 13 killed, including at least 3 minors
- 390 injured (9 serious; 30 moderate; 351 light)
- 742 civilians left without shelter
- Tens of residential apartment buildings collapsed or declared uninhabitable in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Rishon Letzion, Bat Yam, Rehovot, Tamara (near Haifa)
Indiscriminate Iranian Attacks Violate International Law
These indiscriminate attacks violate the basic principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including the principles of necessity, proportionality, distinction, and precautions. The Islamic Republic has not declared any legitimate military aims and instead has targeted its strikes at Israeli civilians using weapons that are by nature indiscriminate. Notably, Ayatollah Khamenei has openly threatened Israel with destruction for years. As recently as May 17, 2025, he described Israel as a “lethal cancerous tumor of the region that must be uprooted.”
Specific IHL violations, include:
- Violations of basic IHL principles of principles of necessity, proportionality, distinction, and precautions (See, e.g., Article 51(5), Article 57(2) of Additional Protocols I to the Fourth Geneva Conventions and Customary IHL Rules 7, 14, and 15)
- Indiscriminate rocket fire in violation of Article 51(4) Additional Protocols I to the Fourth Geneva Convention (see also Customary IHL Rules 12 and 71)
- Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions which constitute war crimes, including wilful killing and extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity (See, e.g., Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and Customary IHL Rule 156)
- Crime of Aggression, as defined in Article 8bis of the Rome Statute, specifically “bombardment by the armed forces of a State against the territory of another State or the use of any weapons by a State against the territory of another State.”
UN Officials and Bodies Overwhelmingly Silent on Islamic Regime Violations
UN Security Council
Silent
- The Council held an emergency session, but no resolution or joint statement has come from it. (June 13, 2025).
IAEA
Silent
- Despite finding Iran in non-compliance a day earlier, IAEA criticizes Israel’s attacks on the Iranian nuclear facilities - “I have repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment. Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security.” (June 13, 2025, Official Statement).
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
Virtually silent
- Purports to condemn both sides while focusing most criticism on Israel - “He is particularly concerned by Israeli attacks on nuclear installations in Iran while talks between Iran and the United States on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme are under way.” (June 12, 2025 official statement).
- Equates Israeli defensive measures to eliminate Iran’s capability to threaten and attack Israel with Iran’s indiscriminate attacks on Israeli civilians - “Israeli bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian missile strikes in Tel Aviv. Enough escalation. Time to stop. Peace and diplomacy must prevail.” (June 14, 2025 Twitter).
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk (and his spokespeople)
Silent
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Sigrid Kaag
Silent
UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher
Silent
UN Commission of Inquiry on Israel (The Pillay Commission)
Silent
Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine
Silent on Iranian attacks against Israel but condemns Israeli attacks on military targets in Iran.
- Characterizes Israeli strikes on Iran as “aggression” to deflect from other fronts - “Glad my colleague Mai Sato, UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, spoke out on yet another act of aggression that risks escalating regional tensions - and deflecting attention from Gaza, the West Bank, the assault on the Madleen, and the global uprising for Palestine. Eyes on all fronts.” (June 13, 2025, Twitter).
- Condemns Israel in response to French President Emanuel Macron reaffirming “Israel’s right to defend itself and ensure its security” following the Iranian attacks - Albanese tweets “On the day Israel, unprovoked, has attacked Iran, killing 80 people, the president of a major European power, finally admits that in the Middle East, Israel, and only Israel, has the right to defend itself.” (June 14, 2025 Twitter).
- Expresses disbelief at Ursula von der Leyen reiterating “Israel’s right to defend itself and protect its people.” - Albanese tweets “Beyond dystopia.” (June 14, 2025 Twitter).
Balakrishnan Rajagopal, UN Special Rapporteur on Housing
Silent on Iranian attacks against Israel but condemns Israeli attacks on military targets in Iran.
- Immediately takes to twitter to defend the slain Iranian nuclear scientists - “Israel’s attack on Iran is a grave violation of international law including attacks on nuclear scientists at their homes. Israel is a serial violator of jus cogens norms and there must be meaningful sanctions and containment measures against it.” Twitter).
- Shares an Al Jazeera article entitled “Shock, fear in Tehran after Israel bombs residential, military areas,” and accuses Israel of domicide - “Bombing residential areas is DOMICIDE but now seen as a central part of any war. We all need to ask: can this kind of war ever comply with humanitarian law or any law? Time to put all of our efforts into ENDING WAR itself.” (June 13, 2025, Twitter).
Mai Sato, Special Rapporteur on Iran
Silent on Iranian attacks against Israel but condemns Israeli attacks on military targets in Iran.
- Echoes statement by Secretary-General Guterres, focusing on Israeli attack - “The Israeli strikes on Iran, occurring just days before planned US-Iran talks in Oman, are deeply concerning and risk undermining diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution…” (June 13, 2025, Twitter).
Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights While Countering Terrorism
Silent on Iranian attacks against Israel but condemns Israeli attacks on military targets in Iran.
Immediately condemns Israel for supposedly violating international law, although he claims his statement is made not in his UN capacity - “(In my academic capacity) Israel’s strikes on Iran are a prohibited use of force under article 2(4) of the UN Charter, an armed attack under article 51 giving Iran a right of self-defence and likely an international crime of aggression by Israeli leaders” (June 13, 2025, Twitter).
Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women
Silent on Iranian attacks against Israel but condemns Israeli attacks on military targets in Iran.
- Quote tweets Ben Saul while adding her own condemnation of Israel - “Hundreds of women and girls have been killed by Israel in the last two years alone not only in #Palestine but also #Syria, #Yemen, #lebanon, and now #Iran. Through its unlawful warfare and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, Israel is also a major perpetrator of violence against women and girls that must be recognized by feminists, called out, and stopped.” (June 13, 2025, Twitter).
UN Country Team in Palestine
Silent
UNRWA
Silent
World Health Organization
Silent
UNICEF
Silent
UN Women
Silent
UN Treaty Bodies
Silent
UNGA
Silent
