Italy
Practice Relating to Rule 8. Definition of Military Objectives
Italy’s IHL Manual (1991) states:
Direct attacks are permitted against enemy objectives whose total or partial destruction offers a definite military advantage, and, in particular, against Armed Forces and military camps, the works and military establishments, the works and the equipment for defence, deposits, offices, installations, communication lines and means that are used by Armed Forces.
Military objectives are not only those which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action and whose total or partial destruction, capture or neutralization, in the circumstances ruling at the time, offers a definite military advantage, but also a particular zone of land which would be convenient to acquire or to prohibit to the enemy.
Italy’s Law of War Decree (1938), as amended in 1992, states: “It is lawful to bombard directly enemy targets whose destruction, whether total or partial, may be to the advantage of the military operations.”
Italy’s IHL Manual (1991) provides that the armed forces are military objectives.
Italy’s Law of War Decree (1938), as amended in 1992, provides that the armed forces are military objectives.
According to Italy’s IHL Manual (1991), “military quarters, military works and establishments, defence works and preparations” are military objectives.
According to Italy’s LOAC Elementary Rules Manual (1991), military objectives include military establishments and positions.
According to Italy’s Law of War Decree (1938), as amended in 1992, “military quarters, military works and establishments, defence works and preparations, depots of arms and war materiel” are military objectives.
According to Italy’s Law of War Decree (1938), as amended in 1992, “warships and military aircraft” are legitimate military targets.
According to Italy’s IHL Manual (1991), “lines and means of communication which can be used for the needs of the armed forces” are military objectives.
According to Italy’s Law of War Decree (1938), as amended in 1992, “lines and means of communication which can be used for the needs of the armed forces” are military objectives.
Italy’s LOAC Elementary Rules Manual (1991) includes “military means of transportation” among military objectives.
According to Italy’s IHL Manual (1991), “depots, workshops [and] installations … which can be used for the needs of the armed forces” are military objectives.
According to Italy’s Law of War Decree (1938), as amended in 1992, “depots, workshops [and] installations … which can be used for the needs of the armed forces” are military objectives.
Italy’s IHL Manual (1991) states that “areas of land that would be useful to capture or deny to the enemy in order to achieve a military operation” are military objectives.
Italy’s LOAC Elementary Rules Manual (1991) includes “areas of tactical importance” among military objectives.
Upon ratification of the 1977 Additional Protocol I, Italy stated:
A specific area of land may be a “military objective” if, because of its location or other reasons specified in Article 52, its total or partial destruction, capture or neutralisation in the circumstances ruling at the time, offers definite military advantage.