What is the legal definition of “war” and “being at war”?
How can one tell when a country is officially at war?
WRS
Generally speaking, international law states that a country is at war when it is involved in an armed conflict of an international character. There is no requirement that a state of war be declared by any belligerent. This is the standard used by the Geneva Convention and other such treaties. Pretty straightforward, huh?
However, domestic laws have different applications for what may be considered wartime in terms of government authority. Some authorities kick in during a state of emergency as declared by Congress or the President, others require that Congress pass a formal declaration of war.
Then there is the insurance company definition, which not surprisingly covers any sort of armed uprising. A neighbourhood kid with an airgun is probably enough to convince the insurers there was a war going on when your car got damaged.
As for real international shoot-'em-ups, I don’t think wars are actually declared at all any more, are they? Seems to be a thing of the past.