Pope Leo XIV calls US-Israel strikes on Iran unjust war

Pope Leo XIV said the United States and Israel attacks on Iran cannot be described as a "just war." In a conversation with reporters on the flight from Rome, he said the classical theory of just war is no longer sufficient to judge modern conflicts that use weapons with enormous destructive power. His comments came as he responded to US Vice President JD Vance's defense of Washington's military action against Tehran. According to Leo, a concept that emerged centuries ago no longer fits the reality of today's weaponry. The statement extends tensions between the Vatican and Donald Trump, whom Leo had previously criticized over his rhetoric on Iran before Trump responded with verbal attacks on the pope.