US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that Israel “has effectively lost sovereignty in the northern quadrant of its country because people don’t feel safe to go to their homes.”

In an on-stage interview at the Brookings Institution, Blinken reiterates his belief that Israel does not want a war in Lebanon, but admits that “they may well be prepared to engage in one if necessary — from their perspective — to protect their interests.”

He says that Hezbollah does not actually want a war, that Lebanon does not want one either because it would be the primary victim; and that Iran does not want a war because it would prefer to save Hezbollah for a scenario in which it has a direct conflict with Israel.