UN proposes new mission in Lebanon after end of UNIFIL's mandate

The United Nations has submitted proposals to the Security Council for establishing a new mission in Lebanon tasked with monitoring, reporting, and providing humanitarian aid, while maintaining capabilities to support the Lebanese army, following the end of the UNIFIL force's mandate on December 31. UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix announced that the proposals were prepared in consultation with Lebanese authorities, and stressed that Lebanon still needs international support, making the continued UN presence essential. Meanwhile, authorities in Beirut have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to extending the presence of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, especially amid ongoing tensions with Israel, which continues its violations in southern Lebanon despite the signing of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement. In August, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed his country's preference for extending UNIFIL's mandate, saying the first option is extension, and the second is adopting a formula that ensures the continued presence of international forces in the south within the required legal framework.