You searched for: “casus bellis”
casus belli (kay" suhs BEL igh; kuh" suhs BEL ee) (s) (noun), casus belli, casus bellis (pl)
1. A situation, or event, that causes, or is the pretext for starting, a war or other conflict: In Medieval times, throwing down a gauntlet before your enemy was often seen as a casus belli or an insult which usually resulted in a battle.
2. An act, or event, that provokes or is used to justify a war or which brings about a declaration of military action: The two countries, which thought of themselves as being powerful, frequently invented or caused casus belli in order to provoke the other into an attack that could lead to an armed conflict.
3. Etymology: from Latin casus, "occasion" + belli, bellum, "war".
Something that can cause an attack or to give reasons for such an assault.
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