aggression、invasion、assault、attack与offensive这些名词均有“进攻、侵略”之意。

aggression ：词义宽泛，既可指武装入侵别国领土，又可指文化、经济等方面的侵略。侧重敌意行动和征服的企图。

• 抗日战争
  the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression
• 无端军事侵犯
  unprovoked military aggression

invasion ：多指具体的侵入或侵犯别国领土，也可用于指抽象事件。

• the German invasion of Poland in 1939
  德国于1939年对波兰的侵略
• The actress described the photographs of her as an invasion of privacy.
  那位女演员认为她的这些照片是对隐私权的侵犯。
• Our visceral fear of terrorism has repeatedly led us to adopt policies that are expensive and counterproductive, such as the invasion of Iraq.
  对恐怖主义出于本能的恐惧，多次促使我们采取代价高昂却适得其反的政策，比如入侵伊拉克。
  ——《纽约时报》

assault ：主要指突然而猛烈的进攻。

• An assault on the capital was launched in the early hours of the morning.
  凌晨时分向首都发起了攻击。

attack ：普通用词，含义广，指事先不发警告，主动地向对方发起武力进攻或对言论等进行抨击。

• a series of racist attacks
  一连串的种族袭击行为
• The patrol came under attack from all sides.
  逻队受到四面八方的攻击。

offensive ：多指进攻的态势，常指大规模的协同军事行动。

• Its latest military offensive against rebel forces is aimed at reopening important trade routes.
  它对叛军的最新一轮军事进攻旨在重新打开重要的贸易通道。