UN Chief Warns of War Crimes in Israel-Iran Conflict

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Saturday that attacks on energy infrastructure in the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran provide reasonable grounds to believe war crimes may have been committed by both sides. Speaking from Brussels, Guterres called for immediate de-escalation, placing responsibility on President Donald Trump to halt the fighting and restore stability in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane largely blocked by Iran.

The conflict intensified this week with Israel striking Iran's South Pars natural gas field on Wednesday, followed by Iran's retaliation against a major energy complex in Qatar. These actions have disrupted global energy supplies, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining largely impassable since late February due to drone and missile attacks. The waterway handles about 20 million barrels of oil per day, or 20 percent of global supply, pushing Brent crude prices to as high as $120 per barrel. In response, the International Energy Agency authorized the release of 400 million barrels from emergency stocks, the largest such drawdown in history, to ease immediate pressures on markets.