"If Israel decided that instead of hitting the branches it would hit the tree by attacking the palaces of the Syrian leaders or the headquarters of Hamas, that could carry the possibility of further escalation," Karawan said.

That possibility is "dismaying" to U. professor Peter von Sivers, who teaches Middle East history. A regional conflict of that magnitude would require the United States to step in to mediate the situation, he said.

"It's disturbing because we are moving from nationalism to something supranational. This does not make one feel very comfortable," he said.

The quick fix of a cease-fire will likely not be enough to cure tensions unless that agreement is backed by the return of Israeli soldiers, Karawan said. Without that restitution, Hezbollah leaders will claim the cease-fire as a victory and the conflict won't end. "They would present it as they stood up to Israel, got Israel to stop its fighting and did not return the soldiers," he said. "The issue will be who blinked first in favor of peace."

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Contributing: Laura Hancock

E-mail: estewart@desnews.com