NATO bombing of Yugoslavia

The 1999 seventy-eight-day NATO air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. It began without explicit authorization from the United Nations Security Council.

Operation Allied Force: The official NATO name for the 1999 air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This operation was the campaign’s formal military framework.
Kosovo War: The 1998–1999 conflict between Yugoslav and Serbian forces and Kosovo Albanian forces, centered on Kosovo’s status. The bombing formed the decisive international military phase of this conflict.
Slobodan Milošević: Serbian and Yugoslav political leader who held power during the Kosovo War and the 1999 NATO campaign. NATO sought his government’s withdrawal of forces from Kosovo.
Kumanovo Agreement: The June 1999 military-technical agreement that set terms for Yugoslav and Serbian forces to withdraw from Kosovo. Its implementation ended the bombing and opened the way for an international presence.
United Nations Security Council: The UN body with primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security and authorizing many collective security measures. The Security Council did not explicitly authorize the NATO campaign.
Air campaign: A sustained military effort to achieve objectives primarily through aircraft and air-delivered weapons. NATO pursued its aims through repeated air attacks rather than a ground invasion.
Kosovo Verification Mission: An unarmed OSCE mission deployed to Kosovo in 1998 to monitor compliance with a ceasefire and security arrangements. Its withdrawal shortly before the air campaign marked the collapse of monitoring efforts.
Javier Solana: Spanish politician who served as NATO secretary general from 1995 to 1999. He authorized the campaign on behalf of NATO’s North Atlantic Council.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244: A 1999 Security Council resolution establishing international civil and security presences in Kosovo while affirming Yugoslavia’s territorial integrity. It established the post-campaign framework for Kosovo’s administration and security.
United Nations Charter: The founding treaty of the United Nations, setting rules for the use of force and collective security. The campaign’s legality was disputed under the Charter’s limits on force.

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