casus belli

noun

ca·sus bel·li ˈkä-səs-ˈbe-ˌlē

ˈkā-səs-ˈbe-ˌlī

plural casus belli

: an event or action that justifies or allegedly justifies a war or conflict

Examples of casus belli in a Sentence

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But what Putin can live with today may become a casus belli tomorrow. —

George Beebe, TIME, 1 July 2024 Baghdad also awkwardly cited the PKK’s presence in Kirkuk as casus belli for conflict, securing Ankara’s support for the operation. —

Behnam Ben Taleblu, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2017 Debate over this proposal has so far been scant and ignored the casus belli. —

Christian Schneider, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 The outcome of this personal and political tragedy was war, as Suppiluliuma used this event as a casus belli for an invasion which rolled back Egypt's dominion in the Levant and expanded the Hittite Empire. —

Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 6 July 2010 See all Example Sentences for casus belli