Norms

I think most of us understand that things like "don't assassinate political leaders" and "don't bomb civilians/civilian targets" and "don't kill prisoners of war" and "don't blow up boats" are basic norms that we embrace, in part, because they protect "us." 

Neither the US nor Israel even bother to fake concern about these things. Donald and Whiskey Pete regularly boast about their love of what we normally think of as war crimes. Why should Iran show any restraint?

At a meeting in the Oval Office last week, a frustrated Mr. Trump pressed Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about why the United States could not immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The answer was straightforward: Even one Iranian soldier or militia member zipping across the narrow neck of the strait in a speedboat could fire a mobile missile right into a slow-moving supertanker, or plant a limpet mine on its hull.

And it's pretty easy to see that the "rules of war" rig the game in favor of strong state militaries. We are an army, you are terrorists. They were to our benefit!