The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to renew the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Lebanon until the end of 2026, while making clear that the mission is being wound down after nearly half a century of deployment along the country’s southern frontier.
The resolution, adopted on Thursday, extends the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for two more years. After that, the mission will begin a phased withdrawal over the course of 2027, with the Lebanese Armed Forces expected to assume full responsibility for security in the south.
UNIFIL was first created in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon. It was significantly reinforced after the 2006 war Israeli war on Lebanon, taking on a broader role in monitoring the cessation of hostilities, assisting the Lebanese army, and supporting humanitarian access.
At its peak, it deployed 15,000 troops from more than 40 countries.
The new resolution, drafted by France, sets December 31, 2026, as the final date for the mission’s mandate. It instructs UNIFIL to coordinate an “orderly and organised” exit with Lebanese authorities, while reaffirming longstanding UN calls for Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory and for all parties to respect the Blue Line, the frontier demarcated by the UN.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the decision as a chance to restore the country’s sovereignty, while stressing that a smooth transition was essential.
“We must strengthen our national institutions to fill the gap that will be left,” he said in remarks reported by local media.
Israel, by contrast, has long voiced frustration with UNIFIL, accusing it of failing to stop Hezbollah from entrenching itself along the border. Officials in Tel Aviv reiterated those concerns following Thursday’s vote, arguing that the mission has been ineffective in curbing the group’s military presence in the south.
The decision to cap the mandate reflects what diplomats described as a rare consensus among Security Council members. It also signals a shift away from indefinite renewals towards a clear exit strategy. Supporters of the resolution said the two-year extension gives Beirut time to prepare its army for the transition and avoid a sudden security vacuum.
The Trump administration has been the most vocal proponent of ending UNIFIL, arguing that the mission has failed to contain Hezbollah and no longer justifies its annual cost of around half a billion dollars.
Washington has pressed for a clear timetable to wind it down and has signalled that continued US funding cannot be guaranteed beyond 2026, a stance that helped shape the resolution adopted on Thursday
UNIFIL currently deploys around 10,000 troops, who have frequently been caught in cross-border incidents amid periodic flare-ups between Israel and Hezbollah. The mission’s presence has been credited with limiting escalation, even as critics question its long-term effectiveness.
By setting an end date, the UN has begun closing the chapter on one of its longest-running peacekeeping operations. For Lebanon, the challenge now lies in ensuring that the drawdown of international forces does not destabilise a region that has seen repeated conflict since UNIFIL first deployed nearly five decades ago.
