Generally deterrence is most effective when acted upon immediately.
Nations are like children or criminals, if they do something wrong, you need to immediately act, in proportion to the action, to punish the bad behaviour. If you wait, people think they get away with it, and then when the eventual punishment catches up with them, they take it personally rather than attributing it to their actions.
And you, please read a few things beyond the "theory of punishment". Read some things about international relations. Read some things about game theory. And read what a Pyrrhic victory is.
Nations are like children or criminals, if they do something wrong, you need to immediately act, in proportion to the action, to punish the bad behaviour. If you wait, people think they get away with it, and then when the eventual punishment catches up with them, they take it personally rather than attributing it to their actions.
Please read up on the theory of punishment.