For decades, Washington maintained legal and political restraints against assassination, mindful that opening the door would pose a danger to the international order. But after 9/11, and especially during the presidencies of Donald Trump, the US has been more audacious in its use of force against the killing or imprisonment of politically important people abroad, whether they be state leaders or military commanders.

From Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in early 2020 to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 and the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in February 2026, what was once a clear red line has melted away.

‘The Fall of the Red Line’ is Al Majalla’s cover story this week. How did the United States, Israel and others move from an era in which the targeting of heads of state was largely avoided to one in which political assassination and cross-border arrest became just another tool to help reshape the balance of power? Will it lead to a world in which political leaders themselves become legitimate targets in international conflicts?