The court's action is a “reminder to U.S. officials that they’ve been aiding [Israelis] credibly accused of war crimes,” said a former State Department lawyer.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for war crimes and crimes against humanity, a historic rebuke of Israel’s battlefield conduct — one that requires dozens of nations that are party to the court’s statute to apprehend the men if they set foot in those countries.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes.