Iran’s proxy Hezbollah nevertheless continued and continues to prosecute its long war against the Jewish state from Lebanese soil, without suffering serious hindrance from the forces of the state. There are no indications of a willingness on the part of the Beirut government to use force against Hezbollah, which retains its presence in the government itself. Israel is aware of these fictions, but must play ball with them at least to a degree because of US preferences. But a state that has lost exclusive control over the means of coercion is no longer sovereign, in any meaningful sense. A large-scale Israeli withdrawal from the 10-kilometer zone of control along the borderline in the near future is unlikely.