What offensive operation is designed to catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to escape?

The operation designed to catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to escape is known as a pursuit. In military terms, the pursuit stage aims to maintain pressure on the enemy as they retreat, thereby preventing their regrouping or reinforcing, and ideally leading to their capture or destruction. This type of operation typically involves rapid and aggressive maneuvers to keep pace with the fleeing enemy, thereby leveraging speed and flexibility.

Pursuit is characterized by its objective of following the enemy and exploiting their disorganization, making it distinct from other offensive operations that may have different objectives or conditions. For example, an exploitation focuses on seizing opportunities in the enemy's defenses, while a movement to contact is aimed at locating the enemy and achieving an encounter to engage. Neutralization, on the other hand, refers to actions taken to render enemy forces ineffective without necessarily pursuing them.

Understanding this operational context clarifies why pursuit is specifically aligned with the goal of disrupting a retreating enemy and underscores its importance in overall battlefield strategy.