The rules of the conduct of hostilities limit the right of parties to a conflict to use the methods and means of warfare of their choice. It essentially covers the conduct of military operations in an armed conflict by defining proper and permissible uses of weapons and military tactics.

The well established principles of distinction and proportionality as well as the prohibition to employ weapons, projectiles and material and methods of warfare of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering are at the core of this branch of international humanitarian law.

From these principles more specific rules were developed, such as the prohibition of direct attacks against civilians or the civilian population as such or against civilian objects, the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks and the obligation to take precautionary measures with a view to avoiding, and in any event to minimizing, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects.

Methods and means of warfare, Air warfare, Naval warfare, Environment and IHL, Information warfare and IHL

See also the following sections: