Israel and Hezbollah face obstacles in reaching a cease-fire despite international calls. Israel has the upper hand militarily but may struggle to achieve its goals with air power alone. Hezbollah is a formidable force and has yet to employ all of its capabilities. Any deal would require both sides to back away from their core demands, which they may view as too high a price. Israel wants the safe return of evacuated citizens and to prevent future attacks, while Hezbollah wants tangible gains for the Palestinians.