United States of America
Practice Relating to Rule 8. Definition of Military Objectives
Section C. Places where armed forces or their materiel are located
The US Air Force Pamphlet (1976) considers that “an adversary’s military encampments … are military objectives beyond any dispute”.
According to the US Naval Handbook (1995), proper targets for naval attack include such military objectives as naval and military bases ashore; warship construction and repair facilities; military depots and warehouses; petroleum/oils/lubricants (POL) storage areas; and buildings and facilities that provide administrative and personnel support for military and naval operations, such as barracks, headquarters buildings, mess halls and training areas.
The US Naval Handbook (2007) states:
Proper objects of attack include, but are not limited to, such military objectives as … naval and military bases ashore, warship construction and repair facilities, military depots and warehouses, petroleum/oils/lubricants storage areas … buildings and facilities that provide administrative and personnel support for military and naval operations such as barracks, … headquarters buildings, mess halls, and training areas.
In 1950, the US Secretary of State stated: “The air activity of the United Nations forces in Korea has been, and is, directed solely at military targets of the invader. These targets [include] … supply dumps”.
In 1966, in the context of the Vietnam War, the US Department of Defense stated: “Military targets include but are not limited to … POL [petroleum/oils/lubricants] facilities, barracks and supply depots. In the specific case of Nam Dinh and Phu Li, targets have been limited to … POL dumps”.
In 1992, in its final report to Congress on the conduct of the Gulf War, the US Department of Defense stated that Iraq’s military storage and production sites had been included among the 12 target sets for the coalition’s attacks.