The UN Security Council voted unanimously on Thursday to terminate the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon at the end of next year after nearly five decades, bowing to demands from the United States and its close ally Israel.
The United States initially demanded that the force be ended in six months and later sought a one-year final extension. UNIFIL will now fulfil a final 16-month mandate to continue its activities near Lebanon’s UN-drawn border with Israel until 31 December, 2026.
