UN votes to end its peacekeeping force in Lebanon after nearly five decades
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The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to end the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, marking the conclusion of nearly half a century of international monitoring in one of the Middle East’s most volatile regions.
The decision, announced on Thursday, followed months of debate and came in response to demands from the United States and its ally Israel. Washington had initially pushed for the mission to be wound down within six months, but later settled for a one-year final extension. Under the compromise, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will continue its work under a final 16-month mandate, before its operations formally end on 31 December 2026.
The resolution gives the mission a year to carry out a full withdrawal of its 10,800 military and civilian personnel, along with all UN equipment. During the transition, UNIFIL has been authorised to maintain a limited set of activities, ensuring a degree of continuity as preparations for disengagement proceed.
UNIFIL was established in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon, tasked with monitoring the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Over the years, its mandate was broadened to include supervising ceasefires and supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in maintaining stability along the UN-drawn Blue Line, the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon. Its role was further expanded after the 2006 month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah, when tensions escalated sharply in the region.
For decades, UNIFIL has acted as a buffer, helping to prevent clashes from spiralling into wider conflict. Its patrols and observation posts became a fixture in southern Lebanon, and the mission often found itself caught between Lebanese armed groups and Israeli forces. The mission’s presence has been widely credited with limiting flare-ups, including during last year’s hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
As the countdown to withdrawal begins, questions remain over how security along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier will be managed once the UN’s blue-helmeted forces depart.
