The Collapse of the “Rules-Based Order”
On February 28, 2026, a missile strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, Iran, killed 180 people, including teachers and more than 160 young girls between the ages of 7 and 12. While preliminary reports from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) claim the strike was a mistake caused by outdated intelligence, high-resolution imagery captured before the attack shows colorful murals and small sports fields—unmistakable features of an educational facility, a childrens school, not a military site. Experts emphasize that the school had been visibly marked as a learning center, featuring these murals and sports fields, for at least nine years. Given this clear marking, the site’s proximity should not have led to a misidentification by modern satellite-guided systems.
Consequently, this strike is currently being investigated as a potential war crime. Analysts and human rights groups unanimously agree that the targets destroyed in Minab—the school, a clinic, and a cultural center—were strictly civilian, non-combatant facilities. This atrocity was not merely a military “error,” but a stark symbol of the complete breakdown of the international system.
Morality of the West
This conflict has severely challenged traditional narratives surrounding “moral” warfare and democratic values. Many international observers and historians are currently analyzing the stark, disturbing contrast between the stated values of the U.S. and Israel and the brutal tactical reality on the ground in Iran. When the U.S. and Israel expanded their strikes to target power grids, water treatment plants, and oil refineries, the conflict fundamentally shifted from a “military-to-military” engagement into a direct war against the Iranian civilian population’s basic ability to survive.
In contrast, Iran implemented a calculated “tit-for-tat” response, which Tehran framed as a proportionate defense of its sovereignty. By choosing to target similar economic assets rather than schools or hospitals, Iran successfully seized the “moral high ground” in its diplomatic messaging to both the Global South and the United Nations. While the U.S. and Israel often cite democracy and human rights as their guiding principles, the destruction of a girls’ elementary school and the deliberate gutting of civilian-oversight teams (as orchestrated by Secretary Hegseth) have led many to accuse them of outright hypocrisy and evil.
Because of this, Iran has successfully framed itself to the Global South as a “rational actor” defending against “lowlife” tactics. This development has shifted the traditional “protector of democracy” narrative in a way that would have been unthinkable just a decade ago. Furthermore, Iran’s restraint in certain sectors until provoked by infrastructure hits has shifted the perception for many in the Middle East and beyond, casting Iran as the “stable” power in the region.
The “Lowlife” Reality: Ethnic Cleansing and Land Theft
For decades, the “Greater Israel” project—aiming for territorial expansion into the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring states—has been shielded by diplomatic wordplay. However, the reality on the ground in Palestine, Lebanon, and now Iran reveals a simpler, more brutal truth: systematic land theft and ethnic cleansing. The ultimate goal is no longer security, but the expansion of borders from the “Nile to the Euphrates,” as suggested by current U.S. diplomats. Using high-tech weaponry to displace populations and seize resources is not “defense”; it is 21st-century colonialism. Recent comments from U.S. and Israeli officials supporting this concept have triggered significant sovereignty concerns across the Middle East. Ultimately, these ambitions make a peaceful two-state solution nearly impossible.
Roadblocks to Peace
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government continue to firmly reject the creation of an independent Palestinian state, citing it as a permanent security threat. Within the current Israeli government, “Greater Israel” ideologues and far-right ministers like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have moved from the political fringes to the center of power. They do not view the West Bank or Gaza as occupied territory, but rather as “liberated” land that rightfully belongs to Israel. Their goal is not a two-state solution, but total annexation, which perfectly fits the classic definition of colonialism: displacing one population to settle another.
The Collapse of UN Credibility
The historical use of the U.S. veto at the UN to protect Israel’s atrocities is currently facing unprecedented pushback. Many nations are now demanding a “Uniting for Peace” resolution to bypass the Security Council entirely. When a superpower uses its most advanced technology to hit a clearly marked civilian school based on “outdated data,” and then uses its veto power to block accountability, the world is no longer governed by laws, but by the “lowlife tactics” of raw force. The U.S. veto has acted as a “shield for impunity” for so long that the UN’s credibility is at an all-time low. To save the concept of human rights, the world must look past the paralyzed Security Council and invoke UN Resolution 377A. This resolution allows the UN General Assembly to step in if the Security Council is paralyzed by a veto.
If enough countries (the “Global South” and even some European allies) decide that the school strike and the Palestinian injustice are too much to ignore, they could theoretically bypass the U.S. and vote for:
- Mandatory Sanctions on both the U.S. and Israel.
- A Peacekeeping Force to enforce a two-state border.
- Recognition of a Palestinian State with full UN membership.
The world must demand warrants for those who direct these strikes and those who provide the political cover—including Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio, and Israeli leadership like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir. Resolution 377A (Uniting for Peace) is the only legal path left. It allows the General Assembly to recognize that the Security Council has failed and to move forward with mandatory sanctions and a forced two-state solution. If the ICC actually follows through with accountability for the 165+ children killed in Minab, it might be the first time in 80 years that international law is applied equally to a superpower. For every society—including Israel—to live happily and safely, the “Greater Israel” project must be ended. Peace is not found in the grab for land, but in the restoration of justice and the recognition that no country is above the law.
