UNIFIL to Begin Withdrawal from South Lebanon as Mandate Expires

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, confirmed on Thursday that it will commence its departure from the country once its current mandate expires on December 31, 2026. This announcement comes despite persistent calls from the Lebanese government in Beirut for the UN to extend the presence of the peacekeeping force beyond the set deadline.

The decision follows a vote by the UN Security Council last year, which chose not to renew the nearly 50-year-old mandate for the force operating in South Lebanon. This move occurred amidst significant criticism from Israel regarding the effectiveness of the mission. According to Security Council resolution 2790, adopted in 2025, the mandate will officially conclude on the last day of 2026, triggering the process of drawdown and withdrawal.

Until the mandate formally ends, peacekeepers from 45 different nations will continue their standard daily operations across the southern region of Lebanon. These activities include monitoring and reporting on developments, maintaining liaison with relevant parties, supporting the Lebanese Army, and facilitating humanitarian missions. UNIFIL noted that the Security Council is currently evaluating various options for the period following the mandate's expiration, including potential future monitoring and reporting mechanisms along the Blue Line. However, the mission emphasized that final decisions regarding any future arrangements remain with the Security Council.

Lebanese officials have expressed concern that the departure of UNIFIL could create a vacuum in the country's south. In this region, Israel maintains a self-declared security zone that extends approximately 10 kilometers, or six miles, inside southern Lebanon along the border. Backers of the Lebanese government have been working to develop alternatives to the peacekeeping force to address potential security gaps.

UNIFIL was originally established to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon following Israel's invasion in 1978. The force's role was significantly expanded after the month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. The updated mandate aimed to ensure that the Iran-backed group could not establish military infrastructure in the southern areas.

Israel has long argued that UNIFIL failed to fulfill its primary mission. Israeli officials pointed to the extensive construction of military infrastructure by Hezbollah in the border area, which enabled the group to launch attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023. This date was one day after the Hamas assault in southern Israel that sparked the broader Gaza war. The border skirmishes resulting from Hezbollah's attacks ultimately led to an Israeli Defense Forces invasion and massive strikes that severely weakened the group's leadership.

Under a ceasefire deal brokered by the United States in November 2024, Israel agreed to withdraw from Lebanon, with the exception of five strategic border posts. The agreement also required the Lebanese military to dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure in the south. A new government took power in early 2025 with a pledge to fulfill this requirement, but Israel accused Beirut of failing to uphold the commitment.

Israel most recently invaded Lebanon in March 2026. This action followed Hezbollah's renewal of rocket attacks on Israel, which were launched in response to the war that the United States and Israel began against Iran on February 28. Subsequent talks between Israel and the Lebanese government, mediated by the US, have produced a framework for a gradual Israeli troop withdrawal. This process is contingent on Lebanese authorities disarming Hezbollah and deploying forces across the south. While this arrangement has been implemented in certain pilot zones, progress has stalled in recent months.