The Ruling on Killing Innocents and Destroying Infrastructure to Intimidate Disbelievers

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling on one who applies the hadith of al-Sa'b ibn Jisamah regarding killing innocents and destroying infrastructure in order to intimidate and frighten the disbelievers and take revenge for the evil that happens to Muslims because of them?

Answer:
This is in jihad, my brothers. This is in jihad: destroying the property of the disbelievers, demolishing their fortresses, and killing their children and infants following them. This is only in jihad. It is not in destruction where every individual goes and destroys without jihad and without the order of the one in authority. This is not permissible. This brings evil upon the Muslims and has no result in the end; it has no result except evil for the Muslims. So there is a difference between destruction and assassinations and jihad in the path of Allah under the leadership and banner of one of the banners of the Muslims, and an army from the armies of the Muslims. There is a difference between this and that. So do not mix the truth with falsehood.