>>507825701 (OP)You ever play those grand strategy games or 4x games like Stellaris, Civ, or Total War?
I can't speak for everyone, but when I play those games, I quickly identify threats that are within close proximity to me, and start planning on how I'm going to neutralize them. Not destroy them, not conquer them, but neutralize them in a way that removes them from the list of potential threats to me.
I don't want to conquer them, because the provide a useful buffer between me and the big threats. Also, controlling too much territory can actually be a detriment, especially if public order is low and it would require more resources to build up that shithole than said shithole would yield. If the local population hates my guts, they're going to be like an itchy hemorrhoid in my asshole that constantly requires attention lest it blow up and get infected.
So I strategically position my armies near them, declare war, and wreck their shit to send them back a few tech-tiers. Then I make "peace", leaving their country a ruined mess, their military in shambles, and their economy in the sewer. That way, they can't threaten me for a long time, and I don't have to worry about them anymore.
I imagine Israel is probably doing the same thing.