UN peacekeeping chief says major questions hang over southern Lebanon as UNIFIL exit nears

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix expressed concern over unresolved questions surrounding the future of UNIFIL, the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, as its mandate nears its end. Lacroix met with Lebanese officials and stated that the Lebanese authorities desire to maintain a U.N. presence to monitor and report violations and defuse tensions between Israeli and Lebanese forces.

However, no decision has been made regarding the type of U.N. presence after UNIFIL, with negotiations set to begin at the Security Council soon. The U.N. Security Council voted in August 2025 to terminate UNIFIL's mandate at the end of 2026, following demands from the United States and Israel, who accused UNIFIL of failing to curb Hezbollah's military buildup.

The security situation in southern Lebanon has deteriorated since then, with Israel-Hezbollah conflict in March and ongoing Israeli military actions in the region. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that UNIFIL's withdrawal could have negative security repercussions for the region, while the European Union plans to establish a new "support mission" for Lebanon, focusing on training its military and security forces, but not assuming UNIFIL's monitoring role.