UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tells U.N. Security Council members that a uniformed U.N. presence in Lebanon should continue after the current mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends at the end of the year. According to Reuters reporting cited in one source, Guterres has written to Security Council members outlining options for how UNIFIL could be maintained beyond the expiry of the current mission. Another report states that Guterres argues it is “vital” to retain a UN force to monitor the Lebanon ceasefire and support Lebanon’s armed forces.
One outlet adds that the proposal is likely to face resistance from the United States and Israel, who have previously pushed for changes to UNIFIL’s presence and mandate. A separate detail in that account says the Security Council, under U.S. pressure, decided last August to end UNIFIL’s mandate on December 31, 2026.
Across the reports, the central point is that Guterres seeks to sustain some level of UN uniformed deployment in Lebanon after the current authorization expires, with the size of any future presence discussed in the proposed range.
