Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday called for the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be extended, as Israeli strikes continue in southern Lebanon.
According to a statement from the Lebanese presidency, quoted by the Xinhua news agency, Aoun said maintaining UNIFIL's presence in southern Lebanon would encourage residents to remain in their villages and towns while contributing to stability through coordination with the Lebanese army.
In a separate statement, Aoun acknowledged that Lebanon is encountering difficulties in carrying out the framework agreement reached with Israel, but stressed that Beirut would not "retreat."
"Rather, we want to strengthen this framework and achieve a breakthrough in some files, such as the issue of prisoners, the borders, the pilot area and the ceasefire," he said.
UNIFIL has operated in the area between Israel and Lebanon since 1978. The force currently consists of nearly 8,200 troops representing 47 countries.
Last August, the UN Security Council approved what was described as a final extension of UNIFIL's mandate, keeping the force in place through December 31, 2026. The decision followed pressure from Israel and the US to bring the mission to an end, despite Lebanon's appeal for its continuation.
UNIFIL has also repeatedly found itself caught between Israel and Hezbollah during the past several years.
In October 2024, the IDF said that Hezbollah had launched approximately 25 rockets and missiles at Israeli communities and IDF troops from terrorist compounds located near UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon. According to the IDF, Hezbollah exploited the proximity of the UN forces, with one of the attacks killing two IDF soldiers.
Following those attacks, the IDF carried out strikes in the vicinity of UNIFIL positions. The military said it warned peacekeepers in advance and asked them to leave the posts. UNIFIL nevertheless accused Israel of intentionally targeting its peacekeepers.