Targeted killing in Principles and foundations of International Law (US and Israel ) Case study: targeted killing of Iran’s Top General Qasem Soleimani

Targeted killing is an extrajudicial killing that used to gain power or eliminate opponents. Targeted killing as an extrajudicial crime, is a term that has become popular in International Law and International Relations in recent decades, especially after the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001. After this event, The United States, by declaring war on international terrorism (al-Qaeda and the Taliban), has emphasized the targeted killing of members of the groups through operations of Special Forces and UAVs. The majority of law professors consider targeted killings as an act contrary to the principles and foundations of international law; because it has been a long time since it happened, the Taliban government has been overthrown, there is no armed conflict, on the other hand it violates the principle of non-use of force and the principle of Airspace Sovereignty and also it kills a large number of civilians. In one of these cases, Iran’s Top General Qassem Soleimani was martyred in a targeted assassination attack by US aircraft at Baghdad International Airport. It seems that the continuation of these extrajudicial measures will become them into a norm and customary law and it destabilizes the security of the international community; so it is urgent that the international community take the necessary steps to confront it.