An
airstrike or
air strike is an attack on a specific objective by
military aircraft during an offensive mission. Air strikes are commonly delivered from aircraft such as
fighters,
bombers,
ground attack aircraft, and
attack helicopters. The official definition includes all sorts of targets, including enemy air targets, but in popular use the term is usually narrowed to a
tactical (small-scale) attack on a ground or
naval objective. Weapons used in an airstrike can range from
machine gun bullets and
missiles to various types of
bombs. It is also commonly referred to as an
air raid.