The US-Israeli attacks against Iran, and the threats against its energy infrastructure, as well as Tehran's retaliation on its Gulf neighbours underline how the norms of starting and escalating international wars have been upended.
US President Donald Trump has at least twice threatened to use overwhelming force against Iranian energy facilities. Last week, he said he would "massively blow up" Iran's South Pars gas field if Iran further retaliated against Qatari energy sites. And on Saturday, he said the US would "obliterate" Iran's "various power plants, starting with the biggest one first" if its leaders did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
It comes amid mounting concern that the nature of this war is putting further, unprecedented strain on the global rules-based order.
Luis Moreno Ocampo, founding chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), said the global rules-based order was designed to protect civilians and prevent nations resorting to war other than in self-defence, or when approved by the UN Security Council.
He told the BBC that the war on Iran amounts to a crime of aggression under international law.
