Although both Israel's northern and southern fronts saw military action this week, the military actions in the Gaza Strip and those against Iranian entrenchment in Syria could not be more different.
According to foreign media reports, on Tuesday Israel launched successful strikes on targets 600 kilometers away in Syria, hitting arms depots, troops and weaponry in the fourth of a string of blows to Iran in recent weeks.
At the same time, shots fired at military engineers working along the border wall near Gaza were answered by the IDF striking an empty Hamas post.
The air raid on Syria was reported to have caused dozens of casualties, although the actual number was much smaller.
It was a long time in the planning, contrary to reports that outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo provided the necessary intelligence for its success in a recent public meeting with Mossad Director Yossi Cohen.
The strike targeted areas in northeastern Syria, near the border with Iraq, which is considered a land corridor for Iranian armaments flowing from the Islamic Republic to Syria and Lebanon, and where many pro-Iranian militias are based.
It is possible that the air strike targeted long-range missiles that were being transported to Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah terror organization.
Iran has been unable to execute its military plans in Syria and the assassination last year of Quds Force general Qasem Soleimani hampered their efforts further.
The Syria strike proved Israeli operational and technological abilities to inflict damage to enemies a long distance away.
In Gaza, however, the IDF has not been able to demonstrate the same level of success against bands of terrorists.
On Wednesday, shots were fired at the engineering crew with four bullets hitting their vehicle and thankfully no injuries were reported in the incident.
Another round of fire came shortly thereafter as part of the ongoing battle for the border fence perimeter.
Hamas, which was responsible for the shots fired, was attempting to mark territory it claimed for itself and prevent Israel from clearing ground to improve its visual access into the Strip.
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An empty Hamas post near the border fence with Israel after it was hit by IDF tank fire on Wednesday
But the IDF response was with tank fire at three empty Hamas posts on the border was a feeble reply to an act of aggression.
By confirming to Hamas that the cross-border fire was acceptable, Israel continues to fail in its strategy to bring about a long-term ceasefire and is forfeiting any deterrence it may still have that would ensure a stable period of calm on the Gaza border.