Raiding, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose. Raiders do not capture and hold a location, but quickly retreat to a previous defended position before enemy forces can respond in a coordinated manner or formulate a counter-attack. A raiding group may consist of combatants specially trained in this tactic, such as commandos, or as a special mission assigned to any regular troops. Raids are often a standard tactic in irregular warfare, employed by warriors, guerrilla fighters or other irregular military forces. Some raids are large, for example the Sullivan Expedition.

The purposes of a raid may include:

• to demoralize, confuse, or exhaust the enemy;
• to ransack, pillage, or plunder
• to destroy specific goods or installations of military or economic value;
• to free POWs
• to capture enemy soldiers for interrogation;
• to kill or capture specific key persons;
• to gather intelligence.