Imagine Al Qaeda planted operatives in US cell phone stores in DC and offered a 10% discount on Iphone sales to people presenting military ID. On a particular day, 3K Iphones all explode. Some explode in the Pentagon, some at homes, some in the cars of fathers driving their children to work. Would we be calling that a targeted attack consistent with international laws of warfare, or would we call it a heinous act of terrorism?
Flip situations around and they look different.