Preemptive war
Among the few UN sanctioned recourses to war, an imminent attack is allowed to be countered and is referred to in international law as preemptive war. On the other hand, preventive war, where there is no imminent threat, and is considered a war of aggression, and thus a supreme under international law.
Quotes
Preemptive war "punishes the defenseless not for what they have done or are doing but for what they might have done or could do."
—Eduardo Galeano, PaxHumana, September 2003.