air strike

or airstrike

noun

1. the bombing or strafing of a city, enemy force, etc., by military aircraft:

   The air strike devastated the enemy's submarine base.

Word History and Origins

Origin of air strike¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Five days into the latest conflict, more tanks and troops arrived at the border, with heavy shelling and air strikes continuing against Palestinian rocket attacks.

From Quartz

Cytokine storms were thought to represent a kind of risky, doomsday immune response—akin to calling in an air strike on your own position while badly outnumbered in the middle of a firefight.

From MIT Technology Review

The latest press report by the City Hall of Donetsk said that an air strike hit the Kirovsky district on Tuesday night.

From The Daily Beast

Baghdad officials claimed the self-proclaimed caliph was wounded in an air strike days earlier.

From The Daily Beast

Karim Sadjapour explains what most frightens Iran's mullahs, and no it is not an Israeli air strike.

From The Daily Beast

He could have allowed a decent interval to elapse after the disastrous air strike, and then ordered the supply route reopened.

From The Daily Beast

On Friday, Israel made good on that threat, conducting a massive daylight air strike on Gaza.

From The Daily Beast

Terrence took off his helmet and let the rapidly cooling air strike his head.

From Project Gutenberg

We had been for some time in the maze of the underground cave when at last I felt the fresh air strike my face.

From Project Gutenberg

It was several seconds before the heat left them and they felt rain soaked salt air strike against their faces.

From Project Gutenberg

Suddenly he gave a great gasp as he felt the warm, damp air strike his face.

From Project Gutenberg

A moment later the Nodding Donkey felt a breath of cold air strike him, but he did not mind, as he had on a warm coat of varnish.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• air attack
• air raid
• shelling