The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word OFFENSIVES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
O
F
F
E
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S
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Actions against the defence" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case actions against the defence = offensives.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does OFFENSIVES mean?
OFFENSIVES noun- An attack.
- The posture of attacking or being able to attack.