air strike
Attack from above
An air strike is a military attack delivered by aircraft, typically involving bombs or missiles dropped on ground targets.
The term covers everything from a single bombing run to coordinated assaults by multiple planes: The air strike destroyed the weapons depot.
Also spelled airstrike.
Attack with explosives
- assaultViolent offensive act
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- raidSudden armed incursion
- sortieArmed raid outward
blitz · offensive · onslaught · barrage · incursion · mission · operation · campaign
Progressive increase in intensity
- hostilitiesActive armed fighting
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- battlefieldCombat engagement area
- frontlineCombat's forward position
warzone · insurgency · conflict · theater · campaign · military · tactical · strategic
Explosive-delivery aircraft or saboteur
- fighterOne who engages in combat
- jetForced fluid stream
- droneUnmanned flying machine
- squadronMilitary aviation unit
pilot · sortie · reconnaissance · interceptor · aviation · stealth · overflight · formation
Relating to operations
- targetedChosen for specific attention
- guidedLed with assistance
- smartMentally quick, or fashionable
- pinpointLocate with exactness
laser-guided · precision-guided · drone · munition · ordnance · accuracy · collateral · payload
Ground-to-sky weaponry
- flakIntense hostile reaction
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- interceptionSeizing something in transit
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
bunker · shelter · warning · siren · evacuation · blackout · scramble · countermeasures
bombing
Attack with explosives
- assaultViolent offensive act
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- raidSudden armed incursion
sortie · blitz · offensive · onslaught · barrage · incursion · mission · operation · campaign · engagement
escalation
Progressive increase in intensity
- hostilitiesActive armed fighting
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- battlefieldCombat engagement area
frontline · warzone · insurgency · conflict · theater · campaign · military · tactical · strategic · counterinsurgency
bomber
Explosive-delivery aircraft or saboteur
squadron · pilot · sortie · reconnaissance · interceptor · aviation · stealth · overflight · formation · cockpit
surgical
Relating to operations
pinpoint · laser-guided · precision-guided · drone · munition · ordnance · accuracy · collateral · payload · warhead
antiaircraft
Ground-to-sky weaponry
- flakIntense hostile reaction
- radarRadio-wave object detection
- interceptionSeizing something in transit
missile · bunker · shelter · warning · siren · evacuation · blackout · scramble · countermeasures
- air warfarebombing runs, dive bombing, precision bombing, saturation bombing, strategic bombing
- military attacksbombing raid, commando raid, guerrilla raid, night raid, sneak attack
- military interventioninvasion, military intervention, coalition forces, allied forces, ground forces
- Military Strikesprecision bombing, bombing run, bombing raid, rocket attack, sortie
- warfarebattle, combat, attack, war, armed conflict
- naval warfarenaval battles, naval battle, battleship, destroyer, sea battles
air strikeground invasion
Armed forces entering territory
ground assault · naval bombardment · ground offensive · amphibious assault · boots on the ground
air strikeair defense
Protection from aerial attack
anti-aircraft defense · missile defense · air cover · defensive perimeter · no-fly zone
air strikeceasefire
Agreed halt to fighting
armistice · peace treaty · truce · peace talks · humanitarian aid