Game theory suggests that ultimately, the weaker party — Iran and its proxies in this case — is the one responsible for preserving deterrence, Sobelman said. “The onus is on the weaker actor to restrain the stronger side,” he said, by acting in a way that shows that an all-out conflict would lead to intolerable harm.

"It's something we've been facing for the last year, something we're very aware of moving forward," an IDF official told Newsweek.