Armored vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon, in a photo taken from northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, on July 22, 2026. Photo Jalaa MAREY / AFP
SOUTH LEBANON — Lebanon continues to insist on the presence of a United Nations-led mechanism in the south of the country, which has been heavily bombarded by Israel and where more than 620 square kilometers remain occupied, after the end of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission in December 2026. This was affirmed by Foreign Minister Joe Rajji during the 166th session of the Arab League in Cairo, at the level of foreign ministers, stressing that such a mission could support both the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 and the provisions of the framework agreement with Israel.
A session dedicated to the fate of UNIFIL was held last week at the Security Council at the request of France, Lebanon's sponsor, but the possibility of extending the force's mandate was categorically rejected by the United States. Washington is sponsoring the framework agreement signed on June 26 between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which provides for the deployment of an international force to monitor the different provisions of the text, namely the deployment of the Lebanese Army in the South, its mission to disarm Hezbollah, and the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied area. However, direct negotiations are stalling over which countries would make up this force.
'Two devastating wars'
Lebanon must "benefit from renewed support and international presence under the aegis of the United Nations," Rajji told his Arab counterparts. In this context, he stated that "consultations will continue" with the United Nations and concerned countries "to establish a strengthened U.N. mechanism to oversee the implementation of Resolution 1701 and the tripartite framework," referring to the framework agreement. The mandate for UNIFIL is set to end in December 2026 unless renewed in August 2025, after which the peacekeepers would have to gradually withdraw from the South.
The minister also called on member states of the Arab League to "provide the necessary support to strengthen the Lebanese Army and consolidate the role of other state institutions." According to him, Beirut is at a "crucial juncture, demanding bold decisions that will allow the Lebanese state to extend its authority over the entirety of its territory" and force Israel to withdraw from the South. He also condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks, the violations of international law committed by Israel, and the occupation, while recalling that Hezbollah has, since 2023, "dragged Lebanon into two devastating wars." He went on to say that diplomacy is the "most effective way" to achieve an actual "cease-fire" and Israeli withdrawal, paving the way for 'the return of the displaced to their villages, reconstruction, the release of detainees, and the disarmament of all armed groups."
Rajji also began his speech by reaffirming "Lebanon's solidarity with the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan in the face of hostile and systematic Iranian attacks." For the past ten days, the United States has resumed strikes on Iran amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and stalled negotiations. Tehran has responded — as it has since Feb. 28 — by launching attacks on U.S. bases in Gulf countries, Jordan, and Iraqi Kurdistan.
