surgical strike
noun
: a carefully planned military attack that does not damage the surrounding area
Examples of surgical strike in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What begins as a surgical strike on hardened Iranian enrichment facilities buried deep underground at the Fordow site risks spiraling in unpredictable directions.
—
Reid Smith, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2025
The goal for Congress and Treasury now is to get away from their previous carpet-bombing approach that was all hay and few needles, and to instead employ something closer to a surgical strike that just ferrets out the bad actors.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Israel quickly responded with a surgical strike against an air-defense facility near Isfahan, exposing the IRGC’s vulnerabilities not far from multiple nuclear facilities and deterring Tehran, at least temporarily, from another direct strike on Israel.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are now directing a surgical strike at the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, targeting Hamas terrorists and commanders who were hiding therein.
—Andrew Stein, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2024
Assuming the worst about Washington's intentions, Tehran is likely to overreact to even a surgical strike against its nuclear facilities.
—Colin H. Kahl, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2012
Even a surgical strike risks triggering massive retaliation on Seoul.
—John Delury, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2015
Whoever did this did a surgical strike against the Hamas leadership.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2024
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Reid Smith, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2025
The goal for Congress and Treasury now is to get away from their previous carpet-bombing approach that was all hay and few needles, and to instead employ something closer to a surgical strike that just ferrets out the bad actors.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Israel quickly responded with a surgical strike against an air-defense facility near Isfahan, exposing the IRGC’s vulnerabilities not far from multiple nuclear facilities and deterring Tehran, at least temporarily, from another direct strike on Israel.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are now directing a surgical strike at the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, targeting Hamas terrorists and commanders who were hiding therein.
—Andrew Stein, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2024
Assuming the worst about Washington's intentions, Tehran is likely to overreact to even a surgical strike against its nuclear facilities.
—Colin H. Kahl, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2012
Even a surgical strike risks triggering massive retaliation on Seoul.
—John Delury, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2015
Whoever did this did a surgical strike against the Hamas leadership.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Surgical strike.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surgical%20strike. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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