‘Hybrid threats’, ‘grey zones’, ‘competition’, and ‘proxies’: When is it actually war?
In an era of rising geopolitical tensions, terms like ‘hybrid threats,’ ‘grey zones,’ and ‘proxy warfare’ are frequently used to describe covert and ambiguous operations, suggesting they blur the lines between peace and armed conflict. From cyberattacks on civilian infrastructure to the damaging of undersea cables, these acts are often labeled as ‘hybrid warfare,’ raising questions about their legal and political implications. In this post, and drawing from the ICRC’s 2024 report on contemporary challenges to international humanitarian law (IHL), ICRC Legal Advisers Samit D’Cunha, Tristan Ferraro, and Tilman Rodenhäuser clarify how legal criteria – not political narratives – determine whether a situation constitutes an armed conflict, highlighting the importance of accurate classification to uphold the protections afforded by IHL.