Mowing the grass

Mowing the lawn is a term used by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to describe periodic military operations conducted in the Gaza Strip with the intent to send a message to the Palestinian population that Israel will not tolerate any form of resistance to their occupation. These are usually carried out by conducting short, sharp military operations to maintain a certain level of control over the area without committing to a long-term political solution, similar to how one would mow a lawn to keep it neat and tidy.