Trump’s own statements indicate otherwise, said Tom Dannenbaum, a professor at Stanford Law School.

“The reference to the Stone Age indicates that objects would be targeted seemingly because they contribute to the viability of a modern society in Iran, which is completely unrelated to the question of contribution to military action — the necessary condition for targeting in war,” he said.

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But Dannenbaum said war crimes had universal jurisdiction with no statute of limitations, meaning any country eventually could prosecute.

“Even when the political conditions are such that it’s unlikely that a war crimes case would be prosecuted successfully in the moment,” he said, “that doesn’t mean that accountability won’t occur at a later date.”