This essay offers a reflective moral evaluation of that struggle through the lens of Just War Theory, not to deliver a definitive verdict, but to deepen and discipline the debate. Just War Theory as a Moral FrameworkJust War Theory, classically articulated by Augustine of Hippo and later systematized by Thomas Aquinas, seeks to impose moral limits on war by specifying when the resort to force may be justified. Under Just War Theory, resistance aimed at protecting a community from grave and unaddressed harm constitutes a morally plausible just cause. Last ResortJust War Theory requires that war be undertaken only after reasonable non-violent options have been exhausted. Human rights organizations similarly warned of the civilian impact of aerial warfare and large-scale military operations (Amnesty International, 2024; Human Rights Watch, 2024).

Source: Ethiopian News January 28, 2026 12:03 UTC