Israel pursued legitimate military objectives in Gaza despite humanitarian cost, study says. Israel did not violate the rules of war during its recent Gaza operation, a new US study says, while praising the IDF’s "impressive improvements" since the war against Hizbullah in 2006. Israel "deliberately used decisive force to enhance regional deterrence and demonstrate that it had restored its military edge," wrote Anthony H. Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "These, however, are legitimate military objectives in spite of their very real humanitarian costs."