JP 3-0, page 133

Joint Operations Across the Range of Military Operations V-27 e. Strikes and Raids (1) Strikes are attacks conducted to damage or destroy an objective or a capability. Strikes may be used to punish offending nations or groups, uphold international law, or prevent those nations or groups from launching their own attacks (e.g., Operation EL DORADO CANYON conducted against Libya in 1986, in response to the terrorist bombing of US Service members in Berlin). Although often tactical in nature with respect to the ways and means used and duration of the operation, strikes can achieve strategic objectives as did the strike against Libya. (2) Raids are operations to temporarily seize an area, usually through forcible entry, in order to secure information, confuse an adversary, capture personnel or equipment, or destroy an objective or capability (e.g., Operation URGENT FURY, During the brief time of the operation, the JTF’s aircraft carried a total of 714.3 short tons of intergovernmental organization (IGO)/nongovernmental organization (NGO) cargo, most of it for direct support of the local population. Helicopters and C-130s also moved 511 non-US passengers. The majority were medics or aid workers carried on special operations forces HH-60s bringing immediate relief to populations cut off from the rest of the world. Important lessons were learned during this operation. First, the best course of action may not be bringing enough manpower and resources to dominate the running of a foreign humanitarian assistance operation. In this case, supporting the essentially civil-run operation and providing effective counsel worked far better than trying to control the operation as a supported commander. Political feathers were not ruffled and future operations with these nations or aid agencies likely will be that much easier. Second, the civil-military operations center (CMOC) was key to working with the participating IGOs and NGOs. CMOC personnel were able to set up information nodes that moved information among aid agencies that were sometimes in competition with each other. Because of CMOC’s low key approach, it was able to steer each organization it touched to greater organization and efficiency. Finally, early development of an exit strategy provided decision points with tangible measures. All parties must have buy-in to execute it together and there must be “top cover” from the civilian side to ensure national objectives are met. Operation ATLAS RESPONSE was a political and military success. Not only was humanitarian aid provided to the people of Mozambique, but good relations with South African military and many IGOs and NGOs were forged. SOURCE: Derived from Dr. Robert Sly’s, “ATLAS RESPONSE Study,” Third Air Force History Office, 2000