Even before Tuesday’s exploding pager attack on Hezbollah, war seemed to be looming on the Israel-Lebanon border. Benjamin Netanyahu began the week promising to return 60,000 evacuees to the north of the country.

Visiting White House envoy Amos Hochstein met with Netanyahu and other top officials Monday to try to soothe tensions and avoid the opening of a new front between Israel and Lebanon. Netanyahu told the envoy that Israel will do “whatever is necessary” to bring home the residents.