Germany's Merz says he has 'no doubt' about legality of Israel's attacks on Iran

BERLIN

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday reaffirmed his support for Israel's military strikes against Iran, despite concerns from legal scholars about whether these actions comply with international law.

"I have no doubt about the legitimacy and legality under international law of what Israel has done," Merz told lawmakers during a parliamentary Q&A session, arguing that multiple legal interpretations support Israel's position.

"Stating that it was a preemptive strike against a potentially imminent nuclear attack from Iran is only one of several possible assumptions. One could also conclude that Israel has been attacked almost daily for years and has the right to defend itself militarily," he said.

“And by Oct. 7, 2023, at the latest, it must have been clear to everyone that these attacks were taking place and that such a military threat must be taken extremely seriously,” he added.

Merz made the remarks in response to a question from a Left Party lawmaker who cited a recent parliament-commissioned report in which international law experts expressed doubts about the legality of Israel's airstrikes against Iran last month.

The 12-day conflict erupted on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian military, nuclear, and later civilian sites, killing at least 935 people. According to the Iranian Health Ministry, 5,332 people were injured in these attacks.

In response, Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, resulting in at least 29 deaths and more than 3,400 injuries, according to figures from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The US also joined, bombing three Iranian nuclear sites.

The conflict concluded with a US-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24.