More than 1,800 UN peacekeepers have withdrawn from southern Lebanon since early November 2025, with over 300 additional personnel expected to leave by May 2026, a UNIFIL official said on Thursday.
UNIFIL spokesperson Candice Ardell told the Xinhua news agency that the drawdown is the result of UN‑wide budget reductions and not an early termination of the mission. She cited UN Security Council Resolution 2790, adopted in late August, which extended UNIFIL’s mandate until December 31, 2026, and authorized a gradual withdrawal afterward.
UNIFIL currently fields around 10,500 peacekeepers from roughly 50 contributing countries.
Ardell said the Lebanese army destroyed 370 illicit weapons caches and related infrastructure south of the Litani River over the past year, expanding its deployment in the area with UNIFIL’s support.
She blamed continued Israeli military activity inside Lebanon as the primary obstacle to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and achieving long‑term stability.
Lebanon and Israel reaffirmed their commitment to Resolution 1701 through a November 2024 US-brokered ceasefire, which Ardell described as a framework for a lasting solution. However, she warned that ongoing Israeli ground and air operations inside Lebanon continue to undermine the stability process.
Since the ceasefire took effect, Hezbollah has violated it more than 1,900 times, including 350 violations that went unanswered by both the IDF and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Israel has struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon even after the ceasefire went into effect, due to the fact that the terrorist organization continues to rebuild its military infrastructure and maintain an armed presence near Israel’s northern border.
Ardell told Xinhua that strengthening the Lebanese army remains the “cornerstone” for restoring stability and enabling displaced residents to return, noting that the army requires additional support and training to secure the south. She also cautioned that hostile rhetoric further inflames tensions.
She urged all parties to move beyond statements and fully implement Resolution 1701, calling on the Israeli army to end its presence in Lebanon.
UNIFIL was established in 1978 to serve as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon and continued operations after Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
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.