What term describes the act of deliberately destroying or damaging for political or military gain?

The act of deliberately destroying or damaging something for political or military gain is referred to as sabotage. This term encompasses actions intended to hinder or disrupt an enemy's operations or capabilities, often through physical damage. Sabotage is typically characterized by covert operations aimed at causing harm or disruption to resources, equipment, facilities, or infrastructure critical to an adversarial force.

In a military context, sabotage can serve to weaken enemy morale, disrupt supply lines, or impair operational effectiveness, making it a strategic tool in warfare. The significance of sabotage lies in its focus on the causal effect of such actions, which is to create a substantive impact on the opponent, thereby serving a clear political or military agenda.

Espionage pertains to the act of gathering confidential or secret information, rather than physical destruction. Terrorism involves using violence or threats to intimidate or coerce, often targeting civilians to achieve political objectives, which does not strictly align with the act of damaging for military gain. Subversion, on the other hand, refers to undermining authority or established systems, which can involve deceptive practices but is not specifically about physical destruction or damage.