Ambush

An ambush is a surprise attack carried out by combatants waiting in a concealed (and typically well-defiladed) position against an approaching enemy individual or group. The concealed position itself or the concealed person(s) may also be called an "ambush", and the chosen area to carry out the ambush is known as the kill zone or the trap.

The term "ambush" is also used in animal behavior studies to describe the predation strategy of some carnivores using stealth and deception (i.e. ambush predators), in sociology to describe aggressive journalistic practices (i.e. ambush journalism), and in economics to describe some marketing strategies (i.e. ambush marketing), all of which involve an element of surprise upon the recipients.

Ambushes as a basic fighting tactic of soldiers, law enforcement or even criminals have been used consistently throughout history, from ancient to modern warfare. Prior to the 20th century, a military ambush might involve thousands of soldiers as part of an annihilation battle, usually at a choke point such as a mountain pass, where the targets are forced to travel through limited routes in vulnerable formations and the surrounding topography (usually high grounds) provide the ambushers concealment and advantage of terrain. Conversely, ambushes could also involve a small irregular band or insurgent group attacking a larger regular armed force, usually harassment, sabotage or assassination attacks as part of a larger attritional strategy. Theoretically, a single well-armed, and concealed soldiers could ambush other troops in a surprise attack. In recent centuries, a military ambush can involve the exclusive or combined use of improvised explosive devices (IED). This allows attackers to hit enemy convoys or patrols while minimizing the risk of being exposed to return fire.