According to Israeli media reports, Tel Aviv and Washington have allegedly reached an understanding not to renew the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is set to expire at the end of August.
UNIFIL’s mission has traditionally been renewed annually through a vote at the UN Security Council.
On Sunday, The Jerusalem Post reported that “the US administration has decided not to renew the mandate, and Israel made no effort to persuade them otherwise.” The paper also noted that no officials from the United States, Israel or the UN have publicly commented on the matter.
Another outlet, Israel Hayom, citing Israeli sources, said the decision stems from Tel Aviv’s belief that “coordination with the Lebanese Army is highly effective,” rendering UNIFIL’s presence “no longer necessary.”
While UNIFIL’s mandate has been renewed almost automatically for years, the mission has come under increasing criticism from Washington in recent times. US officials have argued that the multinational force is not fully implementing its mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
This resolution was passed in the aftermath of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. It prohibits any Hezbollah military presence south of the Litani River and calls for the group's withdrawal from the area. It reaffirms the need for the Lebanese state to assert full authority over its territory.
Despite this, the Iran-backed group has maintained a military presence in southern Lebanon and has repeatedly obstructed UNIFIL’s work, denying the mission access to key locations under its control.
In August 2023, Lebanon — reportedly at Hezbollah’s urging — unsuccessfully attempted to amend Article 16 of the resolution governing UNIFIL’s operations. The proposed change sought to restrict the force’s ability to move freely and inspect suspect sites without prior coordination with the Lebanese Army.
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