Dreaming of a war zone represents turbulent events of waking life. Anger or depression is destructive force, which leads your subconscious mind to combat zone in a dream. Any sort of conflict from real life could initiate this. Probably you are in constant feeling of pressure. Your fear for unfulfilled expectations is another reason to dream about military actions.
Being very close to fighting area could reflect forthcoming disagreement with someone or your mental struggle. If you are participating proactively in a combat, it means undergoing conflict in waking life. Disagreement can be with some person or with your inner self. Personal involvement in any disturbing situation also can cause a dream of being a soldier in a war zone.
If you were looking at a war conflict from a safe distance, it could reflect that some sort of serious problems will pass by without your involvement. If you run away from combat zone, then it means your successful liberation from troubles.
Seeing bombs go off can mean currently exploding situation. Your anxious feeling about it is a reflection of being out of control. Also, it could be a signal to eliminate the threats and diffuse the situation. Alternatively, your mind is hardening you in case of losing control on any important part from your life.
Being killed in a war zone means final part of transformation. You subconsciousness is accepting the fact that something has left your life. If not yet, it will happen soon. New life phase is coming. Alternatively, it indicates important change in your perception of life events. You have to shift your observation angle and expand your boundaries to see new perspective. Life is changing. Your understanding about it has to change too.
For those who actually have been involved in military action or any physical combat, dream of war zone is usual. Such dream happens because of PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), which is a mental health problem. It can develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or even sexual assault. It is treatable by medical professionals.
For those who have not experienced actual real life events, which cause PTSD, the dreams can be induced by information about life-threatening events. Constant info flow from news or movies about threat of terrorism or war can invoke combating, fighting or killing dreams. Maybe due to hypersensitivity to what is seen on TV is perceived like real life dangers. Therefore a removal of disturbing news sources will give substantial result for nightmares elimination.