Sanctions Target ICC Judges Amid Rising Tensions**

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces sanctions on four ICC judges over investigations into U.S. military actions and Israeli officials as tensions rise.**

In a significant escalation of diplomatic tensions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed on Thursday that the United States will impose sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC). This decision comes in response to the ICC's ongoing investigations into U.S. military personnel and warrants issued against senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rubio stated that the targeted judges, identified as Solomy Balungi Bossa from Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza from Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin, and Beti Hohler from Slovenia, were complicit in actions deemed detrimental to U.S. interests.

The U.S. sanctions echo similar measures taken in February against the ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who initiated legal proceedings against Israel relating to its military actions in Gaza. The administration has long opposed the ICC's jurisdiction, as neither the U.S. nor Israel are member states, viewing the court's investigations as overreaching and illegitimate.

"The United States will not tolerate efforts to undermine our sovereignty or that of our allies," Rubio stated emphatically, adding that the measures would block all U.S.-based assets of the sanctioned judges and prohibit American entities from engaging in business with them. These sanctions mark a continuation of U.S. policies started during the Trump administration that imposed similar restrictions on ICC officials involved in war crimes investigations.

The ICC, created to prosecute cases of war crimes and crimes against humanity under the 1998 Rome Statute, faces considerable challenges due to the lack of enforcement authority and the noncompliance of major nations, including the U.S., China, and Russia. As a result, it is often seen as a toothless institution by nations unwilling to subject their personnel to its jurisdiction.

Rubio's comments urged allies who still support the ICC to rally against what he described as a disgraceful affront to American sovereignty and Israeli security. The U.S. stance reflects longstanding divisions in the international community regarding accountability for alleged war crimes and the balance of justice within global governance frameworks.