Perhaps the tribulation did occur for Israel in AD 70 (Luke 21).
The Mosaic covenant was a conditional covenant and was cancelled because of Israel's
behavior. After all, Israel did, in fact, reject and crucify their own promised messiah. The
messiah was the fulfillment of all the law had promised. The perfect high priest, the perfect
lamb sacrificed by the high priest for atonement, every year. The fulfillment of all the moral law.
Israel did lose the territory God had promised in the old covenant.
The house of Israel was left to them desolate.
The olive tree had not produced the covenant fruit.
The temple was destroyed in AD 70 and Jerusalem was desolate.
The desolation was visible to all that stood in the most holy place.
I don't remember hearing about huge wars with demon armies anywhere in Jewish recorded history.
And of course, everybody knows that this did not occur either:
Rev 9:5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment
was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Rev 9:6
And in those days [THOSE FIVE MONTHS]
shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
God suspends death for five months (while they are in torments of pain - this occurring BEFORE the mark of the beast is imposed) as a MERCY to the earth dwellers. Why? So that they recognize the dire implications of this:
Rev 14:9
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive
his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:11
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Eternal torment in the lake of fire. The five months where death is suspended is a FORETASTE of existence in the lake of fire.
These five months are a dire warning by God Who can suspend death itself as He desires.
And yes, I take this literally......because I actually understand the book of Revelation, what is going on, when and WHY.