The UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) received the unanimous support of the Security Council on Thursday to extend its mandate through 31 December 2026 followed by one year for an “orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal of its personnel”.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was established by the Security Council in 1978 for the purpose of confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, restoring international peace and security, and assisting the Lebanese Government in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area.
Line of withdrawal
In 2000, the UN established a line of withdrawal, the “Blue Line”, to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.
Since its inception, UNIFIL has played an important role in advancing peace and security in southern Lebanon.
The mission’s ‘blue helmets’ are mandated to assist the parties to the conflict in their implementation of resolution 1701, which brought an end to hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah in 2006.
UNIFIL continues to monitor the implementation of the resolution by the parties, including full respect for the Blue Line, and reports its violations to the Security Council.
Since the latest cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel in November 2024, UNIFIL has enhanced its efforts to support the Lebanese Armed Forces in addressing unauthorised weapons and military infrastructure and extend State authority in southern Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces continue to maintain a presence and carry out military activities north of the Blue Line.
New options
Resolution 2790 (2025) calls on the Secretary-General to present options by 1 June next year for the future implementation of resolution 1701.
Negotiations on the resolution went down to the wire, with the United States acting Permanent Representative telling Thursday’s Security Council meeting it was time for Lebanese forces to assume greater responsibility, without UN peacekeepers.
Penholder France led negotiations over the mandate, and their representative told ambassadors that UNIFIL’s ongoing efforts were vital: “Any premature withdrawal could undermine or even weaken the efforts of the Lebanese Government” in the south, he said.