Escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah may be a prelude to a cease-fire, but any misstep could hinder a diplomatic solution. Conflicting reports suggest that Israel is seeking a cease-fire before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, but Israel's new defense minister recently announced that there would be no cease-fire. A cease-fire agreement would not involve disarming Hezbollah, but rather demilitarizing the Lebanese territory between the border with Israel and Lebanon's Litani River. Both sides continue to strike each other, with rocket fire from Hezbollah into Israel and Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon. Israel has killed over 200 Hezbollah fighters and destroyed over 140 rocket launchers in the past week. Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon until the Lebanese military and the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon can effectively restrain Hezbollah. Israel has reportedly reached an agreement with the US on an upgraded Resolution 1701 that would guarantee Israel's ability to strike Hezbollah if needed. Hezbollah is currently unwilling to accept a condition that would allow Israel to maintain its ability to apply force in Lebanon. Both sides may be intensifying violence as a negotiation tactic.