Iran humiliated Israel when it called Netanyahu's bluff about war & shattered their deterrence policy. This symbolic attack on Iran sends a message that Israel isn't interested in escalating, on the contrary, it shows that Israel is deterred by Iran's new rules of engagement.
In a secular society, let alone in an empire, you can't have ethics and principles attached to your worldly achievements. Your accomplishments have to serve the empire or you will be silenced.