Key facts
- UNIFIL's mandate is set to expire at the end of 2026.
- Lebanon is campaigning for an extension to the UNIFIL mandate.
- Around 7,500 UNIFIL peacekeepers are deployed in southern Lebanon.
- The UNIFIL force operates a hotline to de-escalate tensions between Lebanese and Israeli militaries.
UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix urged the UN Security Council on Wednesday to begin negotiations on the future of the UN's peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. The mandate for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), deployed since 1978, is set to expire at the end of 2026. The Lebanese government is campaigning for an extension, citing UNIFIL's role in monitoring hostilities and facilitating aid deliveries amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Lacroix stated that clarity on a new UN force would help UNIFIL avoid leaving positions prematurely. The force also operates a hotline to de-escalate tensions between the Lebanese and Israeli militaries, a role Lacroix highlighted as crucial due to the presence of Israeli troops in Lebanese territory.