Lebanon to see UN peacekeepers withdraw, end dates confirmed
UN peacekeepers (Photo: Getty Images)
The UN Security Council unanimously approved a decision to end the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in Lebanon by the end of 2026, with a subsequent withdrawal of personnel, reports Reuters.
The decision was adopted by all 15 Council members on August 28, following compromise negotiations between France and the US.
The UNIFIL mission will operate until December 31, 2026. After that date, peacekeepers will begin a gradual and safe drawdown of their presence over the course of a year, in close coordination with the Lebanese government.
Acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea emphasized that this is the last mandate extension that the US will support. She noted that the security situation in Lebanon has changed, and it is time for the country’s government to take on greater responsibility.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the decision, highlighting its importance for extending state control over the entire country and for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from occupied territories.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon criticized the mission, saying it failed to prevent Hezbollah from strengthening its positions in southern Lebanon.
The UNIFIL mandate was expanded in 2006 after the war between Israel and Hezbollah. The peacekeepers’ task was to help stabilize southern Lebanon. However, in practice, the region remained under Hezbollah’s influence, leading to ongoing conflicts with peacekeepers.
In November 2024, the US acted as a mediator in a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which became possible after more than a year of fighting amid the Gaza war. Washington is promoting a plan to disarm Hezbollah and establish an economic development zone in southern Lebanon with support from Gulf countries, aiming to reduce the group’s dependence on Iranian funding.
The European trio initiated the restoration of UN sanctions against Iran, which the US supported.
