UNIFIL is leaving. The European Union is putting forward a new force
The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Kaya Callas, confirmed that the mission of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon is coming to an end within the framework of what she called "international arrangements" to reshape the security landscape on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Kallas's remarks came upon her arrival in Brussels to participate in the meeting of the European Foreign Affairs Council (at the level of defense ministers), explaining that UNIFIL's current mandate will expire by the end of 2026, noting that this development comes after the recent rounds of escalation that prompted European capitals to review the role and effectiveness of international forces in the next phase.
Discussions within the European Union are becoming more advanced, with the launch of an "alternative European mission" immediately after the departure of UN forces, with a different mandate to suit the new requirements on the ground.
Kallas pointed out that consultations between EU foreign and defense ministers are currently focused on the formulation of a "new mandate that does not repeat the UNIFIL model," but aims to directly support the capabilities of the Lebanese state, in particular strengthening the Lebanese army and enabling it to extend its full security control.
She said strengthening the army was a "key step" to stabilize and contribute to the disarmament of Hizbullah, which it described as one of the most sensitive issues in the south.
Contradictory Lebanese Positions
Two weeks ago, during the unofficial European summit in Cyprus on April 24, 2026, the European official revealed that the end of the UNIFIL mission was imminent and that European alternatives were being discussed, which sparked a wide wave of reactions inside Lebanon, ranging from a cautious welcome to a warning of a security vacuum, to outright rejection of any new mandate that touches internal balances.
In the military institution, Lebanese Army Commander Joseph Aoun expressed a clear welcome to the European support, especially the French, stressing that the moment has become an opportunity for the army to return to full tasks in the south and to strengthen the Lebanese people's rally around it.
As for the traditional political forces and the opposition, Walid Jumblatt's position was the most cautious, describing the termination of the UNIFIL mission as "very dangerous" and calling for a quick Lebanese-international consensus on the alternative force formula to avoid the south from sliding into security chaos.
For its part , the Lebanese government expressed a degree of apprehension, calling for maintaining a UN cover, albeit with a symbolic presence on the Blue Line, instead of replacing it entirely with a European mission of a purely security nature, in order to maintain the international balance provided by the United Nations over the past years.
On the other hand, Hezbollah's position categorically rejected, especially after Kallas spoke of a possible European role in supporting the army in the "disarmament of the resistance" file, considering that any formula that carries an inspection mandate or security tasks outside the internal consensus is considered a direct violation of Lebanese sovereignty.
Who are UNIFIL forces?
UNIFIL is the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), an international United Nations peacekeeping mission deployed in southern Lebanon, established in 1978 by Security Council resolutions 425 and 426, following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon that year.
Its primary tasks are to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, to restore international peace and security in the region and to assist the Government of Lebanon in extending its effective authority in the south.
After the 2006 war, UNIFIL's mandate was strengthened by Security Council Resolution 1701 to include monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in its deployment to the south, and ensuring humanitarian access, consisting of approximately 10,000 troops from some 50 countries, as well as civilian personnel and a naval force monitoring the Lebanese coastline.
As for its scope of deployment, it operates in the area between the Litani River in the north and the Blue Line (between Lebanon and Israel) in the south, and its headquarters are located in the town of Naqoura.