Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s unanimous decision to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) through December 31, 2026, before the force will disband, describing it as the result of broad international consensus aimed at preserving stability in southern Lebanon.
The remarks came during a phone conversation between Aoun and French President Emmanuel Macron, following the Security Council’s adoption of a French-drafted resolution that calls for UNIFIL to conclude its operations by the end of 2026. The resolution also stipulates that an orderly and safe drawdown of personnel is to begin within a year.
According to a statement released by Lebanon’s Presidency and quoted by Xinhua, Aoun expressed gratitude to Macron for France’s active role at the United Nations and its coordination with other member states, which contributed to the consensus on the extension.
President Aoun hailed the decision as “a significant step forward,” asserting that it would bolster the Lebanese Army’s capacity to fully deploy along Lebanon’s internationally recognized borders.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also welcomed the Security Council’s move, thanking all member states for their constructive engagement throughout the negotiation process.
The vote, which took place just days before UNIFIL’s mandate was set to expire on August 31, was passed unanimously by the 15-member council. The resolution marks the final extension of the peacekeeping mission, which has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978.
UNIFIL acts as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel and operates near the border. One of its tasks is to implement Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War in 2006.
That resolution says that Hezbollah must not be allowed to operate in southern Lebanon and the entire area of southern Lebanon must be free of any armed personnel and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon.
Israel and the US have long argued that UNIFIL has been a largely ineffective presence. The peacekeepers have repeatedly been accused of turning a blind eye to Hezbollah's massive military build-up, and their presence has at times been seen as an impediment to Israeli security operations.
In October of 2024, the IDF revealed that approximately 25 rockets and missiles had been launched at Israeli communities and IDF troops from Hezbollah’s terrorist compounds embedded near UNIFIL posts in southern Lebanon, exploiting their proximity to UN forces. One of the attacks resulted in the deaths of two IDF soldiers.
As a result of these attacks, the IDF conducted strikes near UNIFIL posts, making sure to warn the peacekeepers beforehand and requesting that they vacate the posts. Nevertheless, UNIFIL accused Israel of deliberately targeting its peacekeepers.