The Media Line: UNIFIL Mandate Extended to 2026 Before Full Withdrawal From Lebanon 

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UNIFIL Mandate Extended to 2026 Before Full Withdrawal From Lebanon 

By The Media Line Staff 

The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to extend the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until December 31, 2026, setting the stage for the peacekeeping mission’s final withdrawal after nearly five decades. 

Resolution 2790, adopted by all 15 members, directs UNIFIL to cease operations at the end of 2026 and begin an orderly drawdown lasting up to one year. The council also authorized a limited guard force to remain during the mission’s liquidation phase to safeguard UN personnel, facilities, and equipment in coordination with Lebanese authorities. 

The resolution urged Lebanon to uphold its obligations under the 1995 Status of Forces Agreement, including guaranteeing UNIFIL’s freedom of movement and ensuring the safety of its personnel and premises. 

Created in 1978 to verify Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, UNIFIL’s role expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah under Resolution 1701. Since then, it has monitored the cessation of hostilities, supported the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in the south, and overseen respect for the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated boundary between Lebanon and Israel. 

Resolution 2790 reaffirmed the council’s demand for the full implementation of Resolution 1701. It called on Israel to withdraw its forces north of the Blue Line and lift buffer zones, while urging Lebanon to extend government authority over its entire territory with UNIFIL’s temporary support. 

The council requested that the UN secretary-general present options for implementing Resolution 1701 upon the expiration of UNIFIL’s mandate, with recommendations due by June 1, 2026.