The use of force under stress: testing the limits of international law’s resilience

This editorial introduces a two-part symposium examining recent challenges to the international legal regime governing the use of force. The first instalment analyses the United States’ armed intervention in Venezuela in January 2026, while a forthcoming second instalment will address military operations against Iran in February 2026. Together, the contributions explore how these events test the resilience of the prohibition of the use of force and the broader framework of the UN Charter.