It's in my opinion not as obvious as you make it sound - in a drone strike you kill a supposed enemy combatant who at the time of the strike may not be armed,

It's in my opinion not as obvious as you make it sound - in a drone strike you kill a supposed enemy combatant who at the time of the strike may not be armed, or may not be involved in an armed conflict. For example, the alleged terrorist is driving in an SUV. In this case, the 1949 Geneva conventions might call this a crime (the US denies this AFAIK): >Modern laws of war regarding conduct during war (jus in bello), such as the 1949 Geneva Conventions, provide that it is unlawful for belligerents to engage in combat without meeting certain requirements, among them the wearing of a distinctive uniform or other distinctive signs visible at a distance, and the carrying of weapons openly. [1] Of course, terrorists don't listen to these rules either, by not wearing any uniform, they don't have any. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_war