skirmish

1. (military) A brief battle between small groups, usually part of a longer or larger battle or war.Examples: "On 2 March, Chinese border guards with the help of regular PLA forces skillfully ambushed Strelnikov's unit on the ice near Chen Pao, killing him and 30 Soviets in the subsequent skirmish."; "The walls are slitted with embrasures through which bowmen could fire, indicating that the belfry also served as a stronghold during border skirmishes."

2. (figuratively, by extension) Any minor dispute.Examples: "Three people were arrested after a skirmish in a bar."; "Fires which have heretofore been one‐alarm skirmishes are now multialarm small wars."broadlyfiguratively