On January 3, Iranian top general Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone attack outside Baghdad's international airport. According to the United States, Soleimani had been behind several attacks on US citizens and he should also have planned future attacks on US targets.

According to international law expert Ove Bring, there are many indications that the United States actually acted in legitimate self-defense when carrying out the attack, but that is not entirely clear.

- Much indicates that the United States has been exposed to repeated war actions that preceded the rocket attack against Soleimani. But in order to say that it was about self-defense, the US must present the information. To be able to ensure that they followed the law, one must know that it was regular and repeated acts of war and not things that could be cleared up otherwise, says Ove Bring.

According to the United States, Soleimani planned to carry out attacks on American targets.

Is it enough for the US attack on him to be classified as self-defense?

- It is called preventive self-defense and is not legal under international law. In such a case, you have to know how many are being threatened and you only know if the missile is already in the air, says Ove Bring.

The United States, therefore, needs to present information that shows that Soleimani was behind repeated war actions against them. But whether they will do so remains to be seen.

- I think the information will come forward. It's probably just a matter of time. However, I do not think it will be followed up, as the US has veto rights in the UN Security Council where such a thing would be dealt with in that case. I think it will stay on the debate, says Ove Bring and continues:

"Worth mentioning, however, is that Donald Trump recently threatened Iran in a statement, saying that the United States could attack Iran's cultural heritage - which would violate the law. But it was a statement quickly dismissed by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Something that shows the US cares about the laws of war.

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