UNIFIL to begin withdrawal from southern Lebanon as UN mandate ends Dec. 31

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced on Thursday that it would begin withdrawing its forces from southern Lebanon on Dec. 31, when its UN mandate expires.

“Under Security Council resolution 2790 (2025), UNIFIL’s mandate in Lebanon will end on 31 December 2026. The Mission will then begin the process of its drawdown and withdrawal,” UNIFIL said. The UN organization added that its “peacekeepers from 45 countries will continue their daily operations as usual across south Lebanon, including monitoring and reporting developments, liaising with the parties, supporting the Lebanese Army, and facilitating humanitarian missions.”

“The Security Council is considering options for the period after UNIFIL’s mandate ends, including future monitoring and reporting along the Blue Line,” UNIFIL continued, adding that the UN Security Council (UNSC) would determine any future arrangements.

Last month, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked France to help secure an international force to replace UNIFIL. The request came amid concerns about a potential security vacuum following UNIFIL’s withdrawal, particularly before Hezbollah’s disarmament is completed.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who visited Lebanon, confirmed that the two governments were discussing “mechanisms for an international presence.”

Established in 1978, UNIFIL was deployed to southern Lebanon to help maintain peace along the border with Israel. Over the years, however, it has failed to prevent the Hezbollah terrorist organization from repeatedly attacking Israel. Israeli officials have also accused UNIFIL of ignoring Hezbollah’s military buildup in southern Lebanon.

Last year, the UNSC voted not to extend UNIFIL’s mandate beyond Dec. 31, 2026, in a compromise between Washington and Paris. The Trump administration supported Israel’s position favoring an earlier withdrawal, while France backed Lebanon’s preference for a later departure.

Following Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, and again in March 2026, the Israeli military established a 10-kilometer (6-mile) security zone on the southern Lebanese border to protect northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks. While the Lebanese government has called for a complete Israeli withdrawal, Israeli officials maintain that the military presence is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from threatening communities along the border.

In March, the Lebanese government outlawed Hezbollah’s military activities after the terror group attacked Israel amid U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Beirut accused Hezbollah of dragging the country into a war that served only the interests of the Iranian regime.

Despite having no official diplomatic relations, Israel and Lebanon signed a U.S.-backed agreement in June linking an Israeli withdrawal to Hezbollah’s disarmament. Last month, Trump reportedly offered Lebanon a full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for diplomatic relations.