air raid
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air raid
A military attack carried out with airplanes or other aircraft against a target on the ground or at sea.
Während des Krieges gab es fast täglich Luftangriffe auf die Stadt.
During the war, there were air raids on the city almost every day.
'Luftangriff' (air raid) is a compound noun made from 'die Luft' (air) and 'der Angriff' (attack). The 's' in the middle is a linking s, which connects the two parts of the word.
Die Sirenen warnten die Bevölkerung vor dem bevorstehenden Luftangriff.
The sirens warned the population of the approaching air raid.
To name the target of the attack, the preposition 'auf' is used with the accusative. This pattern is very typical.
Die Nachrichten berichteten von einem Luftangriff auf den Hafen.
The news reported on an air raid on the harbor.
In a military context, an air raid is 'geflogen' (flown) or 'gestartet' (launched). You can also say 'einen Luftangriff befehlen' (to order an air raid) or 'einen Luftangriff überleben' (to survive an air raid).
Die Piloten erhielten den Befehl, einen Luftangriff zu fliegen.
The pilots received the order to fly an air raid.
bombardment
'Luftangriff' and 'Bombardierung' both describe military attacks. 'Luftangriff' mainly says that the attack comes from the air, for example with airplanes or drones. 'Bombardierung' emphasizes that many bombs or shells fall on a target; this can happen from the air, but also through artillery. The words can be confused because many air raids are bombardments. If the direction or means of attack is important, 'Luftangriff' fits. If the focus is on the many bombs and the destruction, 'Bombardierung' is more natural.
Nach dem Luftangriff mussten viele Menschen die Stadt verlassen.
After the air raid, many people had to leave the city.
Die Bombardierung zerstörte mehrere Häuser in der Nähe des Bahnhofs.
The bombardment destroyed several houses near the train station.