Without warning on Saturday, Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers attacked Israel by air, land and sea. Millions of Israelis in the country’s south awoke to the searing sound of incoming rockets.
Because militaries, or groups that act like militaries, can use terrorist activities to further their goals. They can be both.
When an organization is large, fixed in location, has ranks, news sources tend to call them militaries. Especially if it’s associated with an government.
When organizations are smaller, cell-based, less identifiable, they tend to be referred to as terrorists
The term has become pretty loose with climate activists being called terrorists and whatnot. Anyways, for me the defining characteristic of terror is:
The goal to strike fear in the civilian population. The goal is not to achieve military advantages like securing areas or destroying strategic assets.
As such, small units can be non terrorists (guerilla warfare), while nations can engage in terror (Russia prioritizing civilian targets over military).
Always bad when a definition depends on intent though, especially in controversial topics.
Because militaries, or groups that act like militaries, can use terrorist activities to further their goals. They can be both.
When an organization is large, fixed in location, has ranks, news sources tend to call them militaries. Especially if it’s associated with an government.
When organizations are smaller, cell-based, less identifiable, they tend to be referred to as terrorists
The term has become pretty loose with climate activists being called terrorists and whatnot. Anyways, for me the defining characteristic of terror is:
The goal to strike fear in the civilian population. The goal is not to achieve military advantages like securing areas or destroying strategic assets.
As such, small units can be non terrorists (guerilla warfare), while nations can engage in terror (Russia prioritizing civilian targets over military).
Always bad when a definition depends on intent though, especially in controversial topics.