Attack

An attack is a premeditated act of violence intended to cause harm, terror or death to persons, as well as the destruction of property. Theoretically, the concept is distinguished from other violent acts by its intentionality and its aim to have an impact beyond the direct victims. The attack seeks to sow fear, destabilise a government or send a political or ideological message to a society.

The history of attacks is as old as the history of conflict. From the assassination of political leaders to large-scale terrorist attacks, bombing has been used as a tool to achieve political or religious ends. Today, the term is closely linked to terrorism, which uses bombing as its primary method of generating a climate of fear and insecurity.