A UNIFIL vehicle in the village of Ebl al-Saqi, July 23, 2025. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L’Orient-Le Jour)
Is the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in southern Lebanon nearing its end? This question arises a few days before the U.N. Security Council session devoted to reviewing the fate of UNIFIL. Normally, this extension takes place without difficulty. But this time, things seem more complicated. This is because more than eight months after the 2024 war with Hezbollah, Israel has been multiplying signs pointing to its rejection of the U.N. troops’ continued presence in southern Lebanon. Similarly, the United States, Israel’s main ally, is not very enthusiastic about yet another extension of UNIFIL’s mandate without expanding its prerogatives. This scenario could prompt Washington to veto any Security Council resolution. The Trump administration might see its policy of cutting financial contributions to the U.N. as the perfect...
Is the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in southern Lebanon nearing its end? This question arises a few days before the U.N. Security Council session devoted to reviewing the fate of UNIFIL. Normally, this extension takes place without difficulty. But this time, things seem more complicated. This is because more than eight months after the 2024 war with Hezbollah, Israel has been multiplying signs pointing to its rejection of the U.N. troops’ continued presence in southern Lebanon. Similarly, the United States, Israel’s main ally, is not very enthusiastic about yet another extension of UNIFIL’s mandate without expanding its prerogatives. This scenario could prompt Washington to veto any Security Council resolution. The Trump administration might see its policy of cutting financial contributions to the U.N. as the...
Israel continues attacks on southern Lebanon, demolishes buildings in Bint Jbeil