Newsletter: US-Israeli strikes legally ‘problematic’ but ‘righteous’, Belgian Defence Minister says

Newsletter: US-Israeli Strikes Legally ‘Problematic’ But ‘Righteous’

Washington and Israel escalated tensions with Iran overnight, with concerns growing that the conflict might extend beyond the Middle East following an incident where a U.S. submarine collided with an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean earlier that day.

This morning, the U.S. Senate voted down a proposal aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military authority, with party divisions evident in the result. The House of Representatives is set to reconsider Trump’s war powers in a separate vote the following day.

EU foreign ministers are convening online to formulate a unified response to the escalating conflict, which has been hindered by domestic disagreements and constrained diplomatic leverage. The EU’s chief diplomat warned on Wednesday that Iran’s transition to a democratic system remains uncertain, highlighting the risk of an expanding war in the region and a perilous phase for European interests.

Belgium’s Defence Minister Theo Francken, speaking to Europe Today, questioned the legal basis of the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes but called the action a ‘justified effort to dismantle the Ayatollah regime.’ Francken remarked, ‘While the strikes may raise issues under international law, they can still be justified.’

The diplomatic rift between Washington and Madrid, the sole EU nation to openly criticize the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes, persisted on Wednesday. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares issued a statement refuting Spain’s support for the U.S. campaign shortly after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed Madrid had shifted stance and endorsed U.S. efforts.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is leveraging the situation to reinvigorate the ‘no to war’ movement, drawing parallels to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in a Wednesday address. According to our EU editor Maria Tadeo, Sánchez aims to reinforce his reputation as a symbol of progressive socialism in Europe amidst a broader political shift, while also rallying domestic support.

The EU executive announced on Wednesday its commitment to safeguard trade interests, following President Trump’s threat to cut all trade with Spain due to Madrid’s critical position. Note: Trade is an exclusive EU domain, and the EU-U.S. trade agreement finalized last summer remains stalled after MEPs paused its rollout following February’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that invalidated the 2025 tariffs as unlawful.

Meanwhile, Hungary and Slovakia’s dispute with Ukraine over oil supply disruptions via the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline remains unresolved. On Wednesday, MOL, Hungary’s energy firm, and its Slovak affiliate Slovnaft submitted a formal complaint to the European Commission, alleging that Croatia’s oil transporter JANAF is exploiting its dominance.

JANAF has become a key player as Hungary and Slovakia, which have received special EU exemptions for Russian oil, grapple with supply issues after the Druzhba pipeline was attacked in Ukraine late last month. Despite JANAF’s expressed willingness to meet Hungary and Slovakia’s demands through Russian oil alternatives, it has not yet confirmed if the pipeline, also called Adria, will permit Russian crude to flow. In a statement, JANAF dismissed MOL’s allegations of discriminatory pricing and supply risks.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó visited Moscow the previous day for energy talks, stating that Russia would ‘continue delivering natural gas and crude oil to Hungary at stable prices, even amid the global energy crisis.’ Moscow also pledged to release two Hungarian-Ukrainian POWs to Hungary.

Trump’s decision to strike Iran, pursue regime change and reshape the balance of power in the Middle East has revived a formidable ghost that the European Union thought it had managed to banish for good: energy crisis. Jorge Liboreiro reports that the spiralling war has sent gas prices soaring, prompting panic among investors and anxiety among governments.

On Tuesday, gas prices at the Title Transfer Facility surged, intensifying fears of a prolonged energy shortfall.