preemptive strike

air raid

Aerial military attack

• bombingAttack with explosives
• blitzkriegFast, overwhelming military campaign
• interdictionAuthoritative prohibition or blockade

raid · sortie · offensive · barrage · counterproliferation · engagement · campaign · bombardment · airstrike · cruise missile

provocation

Act that triggers response

• escalationProgressive increase in intensity
• hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
• belligerenceWarlike aggression

attack · offensive · invasion · assault · intimidation · force · coercion · dominance · confrontation · antagonism

sneak attack

• ambushSurprise strike from concealment
• blitzSwift, overwhelming offensive
• blindsideSurprise with unexpected force

sudden · unexpected · shock · outmaneuver · overwhelm · outflank · swift · unannounced · lightning · without warning

brinkmanship

Pushing conflicts to disaster's threshold

• ultimatumNon-negotiable final terms
• sanctionsPunitive international restrictions
• embargoOfficial prohibition on trade

de-escalation · nonproliferation · moratorium · stalemate · negotiation · treaty · international law · UN resolution · ceasefire · deterrent

prevention

Stopping something before occurring

• protectionGuarding against harm
• anticipationState of awaiting something
• precautionPreventive safety measure

safeguard · deterrence · neutralization · countermeasure · self-defense · security · prophylactic · proactive · forestall · interception

• strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
• tacticsmaneuver, counter-attack, gambit, ambush, counterstrike
• Nuclearnuclear reactor, atomic bomb, nuclear energy, atomic bombs, uranium
• nuclear waratomic bomb, nuclear holocaust, nuclear arsenal, hydrogen bomb, ICBM
• aggressive tacticsblitz, blitzkrieg, frontal assault, offensive, attack mode
• airstrikesairstrike, air raid, bombing run, bombing raid, bombing