text: Chapter 2
  ATTACK OF ENEMY MILITARY OBJECTIVES AND PERSONNEL
  Combatants may conduct assaults, bombardments, and other attacks, but a number of rules govern
  these operations. Parties to a conflict must conduct attacks in accordance with the principles of distinction
  and proportionality. In particular, the following rules must be observed:
  * Combatants may make military objectives the object of attack, but may not direct attacks against
  civilians, civilian objects, or other protected persons and objects. (Civilians directly participating
  in the hostilities, however, may be made the object of attack.) This applies the principle of
  distinction.
  * Combatants may not conduct attacks that are expected to result in incidental harm to civilians or
  civilian objects that is excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage
  anticipated to be gained. This applies the principle of proportionality.
  * Combatants must take feasible precautions in planning and conducting attacks to reduce the risk
  of harm to civilians and other persons and objects protected from being made the object of attack.
  * Combatants must assess in good faith the information that is available to them when conducting
  attacks.
  * Combatants may not kill or wound by acts of perfidy (discussed in paragraphs 2-152 through 2-
  153). This applies the principle of honor.
  Specific rules apply to the use of certain types of weapons. For instance, the Amended Mines Protocol
  (CCW Amended Protocol II), places restrictions on the use of anti-personnel landmines, booby-traps, and
  other devices. Similarly, CCW Protocol III places restrictions on the use of incendiary weapons. The
  Department of Defense helps ensure that its armed forces only have legal weapons available for use by having
  a policy that requires a legal review on the acquisition or procurement of all new U.S. weapons, munitions,
  and weapons systems (see paragraphs 2-201 through 2-216).
  Failure of Defender to Separate or Distinguish Does Not Relieve Attacker of the Duty to
  Discriminate in Conducting Attacks
  A party that is subject to attack might fail to take feasible precautions to minimize the harm to civilians,
  such as by separating the civilian population from military objectives. In some cases, a party to the conflict
  might attempt to use the presence or movement of the civilian population or individual civilians in order to
  shield military objectives from seizure or attack. When enemy persons engage in such behavior, commanders
  should continue to seek to discriminate in conducting attacks and to take feasible precautions to reduce the
  risk of harm to the civilian population and civilian objects. This enemy conduct, however, will diminish the
  ability to discriminate and to reduce the risk of harm to the civilian population.
  Permissible Location of Attacks
  In general, attacks may be conducted against military objectives wherever located outside neutral
  territory. Attacks, however, may not be conducted in special zones established by agreement between the
  belligerents, such as hospital, safety, or neutralized zones.
  Attacks on military objectives in the enemy rear areas or diversionary attacks away from the current
  theaters or zones of active military operations are lawful. LOAC does not require that attacks on enemy
  military personnel or objectives be conducted near on-going fighting, in a theater of active military
  operations, or in a theater of active armed conflict. For policy or operational reasons, military orders, such as
  applicable rules of engagement, may limit the locations where attacks may be conducted.
  Force That May Be Applied
  In the absence of expected harm to civilians and civilian objects or of the wanton destruction that is
  not justified by military necessity, LOAC imposes no limit on the degree of force that may be directed against
  enemy military objectives, including enemy military personnel. For example, LOAC does not require
  combatants to apply a use-of-force continuum or to employ the least harmful means, such as by attempting
  to capture enemy combatants before using deadly force against them. In addition, combatants need not warn
  enemy combatants before attacking, and combatants need not offer opponents an opportunity to surrender