US and Israel agreed to end UNIFIL mission in south Lebanon
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) must cease its operations in southern Lebanon,
The Jerusalem Post
reported Sunday
The American administration has decided not to renew UNIFIL's mandate, and Israel reportedly 'did not try to convince the US otherwise.'
The vote on the mandate in the
United Nations
Security Council is expected to occur within a few months.
UNIFIL's mandate was most recently renewed by the Security Council on August 28, 2024, through resolution 2749 (2024), extending it until August 31, 2025. This is a yearly renewal, requested by the Lebanese Government.
What is UNIFIL?
UNIFIL was created in 1978 following the First
Lebanon
War, and was founded with the intention of confirming Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, as well as assisting the Lebanese government with restoring authority in the area.
After the Second Lebanon War in 2006, UNIFIL's mandate was extended to monitor hostilities in the region and ensure humanitarian access to local civilian populations.
UNIFIL currently has over 13,000 uniformed personnel, and its top military contributor is
Indonesia
.
No officials from the US, Israel, or the UN have commented on the announcement.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Libnan
2 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
Iran's Larijani heads to Beirut, after Lebanon decided to disarm Hezbollah
File photo of former Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated last September in an Israeli strike . The whereabouts of Nasrallah were reportedly disclosed to Israel by Esmail Qaani , Nasrallah 's boss and head of the Quds Force, of which Hezbollah is a key member The head of Iran's top security body, Ali Larijani, will visit Iraq on Monday before heading to Lebanon, where the government has approved a plan to disarm Tehran's ally Hezbollah , state media said. 'Ali Larijani departs today (Monday) for Iraq and then Lebanon on a three-day visit, his first foreign trip since taking office last week,' state television reported. Larijani will sign a bilateral security agreement in Iraq before heading to Lebanon, where he will meet senior Lebanese officials and Hezbollah figures. His trip to Lebanon comes after Tehran expressed strong opposition to a Lebanese government plan to disarm Tehran's ally Hezbollah, a stance condemned by Beirut as a 'flagrant and unacceptable interference.' 'Our cooperation with the Lebanese government is long and deep. We consult on various regional issues. In this particular context, we are talking to Lebanese officials and influential figures in Lebanon,' Larijani told state TV before departing. 'In Lebanon, our positions are already clear. Lebanese national unity is important and must be preserved in all circumstances. Lebanon's independence is still important to us and we will contribute to it.' On Saturday, Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader, described the plan to disarm Hezbollah as compliance 'to the will of the United States and Israel.' The disarmament push followed last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah , which left the group, once a powerful political and military force, extremely weakened. It also comes amid pressure from the United States and anti-Hezbollah parties in Lebanon, as well as fears Israel could escalate its strikes if the group remains armed. Iran appointed 68-year-old Larijani to head the Supreme National Security Council, which is responsible for laying out Iran's defense and security strategy. Its decisions must be approved by the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. The appointment comes after a 12-day war with Israel, which began the conflict with an unprecedented attack on Iran in mid-June striking military, nuclear and residential sites. Leave Iran in Iran Following the interference in Lebanon's internal affairs , many in Lebanon called on the government to cut ties with Iran and kick out its ambassador MP Ziad Hawat , a member of the Strong Republic bloc commented on Larijani's visit by stressing 'it is time to stop this ridiculous farce: incitement and intimidation in Lebanon through its ally ,' emphasizing that 'what is required is Lebanon first in practical action, at a sensitive and complex historical moment. 'Leave Iran in Iran…' Lebanon and the interests of the Lebanese are in the hands of Lebanese officials, under the umbrella of the state, the constitution, and the Taif Agreement.' Iran's allies in Iraq face uncertain future Iran is reportedly running Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units As in Lebanon , Iraq's pro-Iranian militias face an uncertain future after the December fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria and amid pressure from Iraqi authorities for armed groups to be disbanded or incorporated further into Iraq's security apparatus under state control. The militias, collectively known as Hashd al Shaabi, or the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), included several dozen brigades at the height of Iraq's battle against the Islamic State (IS) in 2017. As the war on IS wound down, these groups partially integrated into Iraq's sprawling security apparatus, including receiving government salaries . However, some of the most powerful militias continued to carry out independent operations. The militias are now under pressure from various directions in Iraq. For example, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein indicated in mid-January that the pro-Iranian militias should lay down their arms.
L'Orient-Le Jour
13 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Jordan's King offers condolences to Aoun over death of six Lebanese soldiers in Wadi Zibqin
BEIRUT — Jordan's King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein called Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun Sunday afternoon to "offer his condolences over the martyrdom of six soldiers in the tragic incident that occurred yesterday in Wadi Zibqin, in the Sour district," the Lebanese Presidency said in a statement Sunday. The army announced Saturday afternoon that the arms depot the soldiers were dismantling was located in the Zebqine valley, near Majdal Zoun (Sour), in south Lebanon. The deadly incident came shortly after the government approved the U.S.-backed roadmap aimed at establishing the state's monopoly on weapons — at the expense of Hezbollah's arsenal — and enforcing an Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon. "During the call, the Jordanian monarch expressed Jordan's solidarity with Lebanon and its army, and conveyed his country's readiness to provide the necessary support to the Lebanese Army during this critical time, in order to enable it to fulfill its role in preserving Lebanon's stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," according to the statement. "President Aoun thanked King Abdullah for his condolences and for the support that Jordan provides to Lebanon in general, and to the army in particular," the statement concluded. The bodies of the six Lebanese soldiers killed Saturday in an explosion at an arms depot in south Lebanon were returned Sunday to their respective hometowns, where they were mourned and laid to rest
L'Orient-Le Jour
13 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Our priority is to build the state and restore its arms monopoly, says Jaber
BEIRUT — Finance Minister Yassine Jaber said in a speech in Nabatieh that the priority of Nawaf Salam's government was to build the Lebanese state, but also to restore its monopoly on weapons, while specifying that the protection "of our people" remains "the absolute priority." Although nuanced, these explicit comments on the monopoly over weapons are unprecedented from a member of the Amal movement, Hezbollah's main ally, at a time when the government's decision Thursday to adopt the American roadmap for Hezbollah disarmament triggered a wave of opposition from Hezbollah. "Today, here in Nabatieh, which still mourns its martyrs and heals its wounds, I reaffirm as a government minister my unwavering commitment since we took office: our priority is building the state, strengthening all its institutions — particularly the Lebanese Army — and restoring the state's monopoly on weapons, as confirmed by the ministerial statement," Jaber declared, calling it a matter of "consensus." 'Renewing our loyalty to Lebanon alone' The minister was abroad last week during the two Cabinet meetings devoted to the issue of Hezbollah's disarmament. "I regret that political developments in Lebanon accelerated while I was abroad, prevented by previous commitments from attending the last two Cabinet sessions. Despite my absence, my position is clear and unambiguous: the protection of our people remains the absolute priority, the cornerstone of national unity," he added. Last Thursday, the four other Shiite ministers present at the meeting — including three from the Hezbollah-Amal alliance — left the room when discussions turned to the American document. Hezbollah had previously called on the government to reverse its decision, while Iran has twice publicly opposed Hezbollah's disarmament and has been condemned on both occasions by Lebanese diplomacy, which accused it of "interference." Speaking in Nabatieh, a town in southern Lebanon where he is from and which was especially ravaged by Israeli bombs during the war between Hezbollah and Israel, Jaber also addressed Israeli interference in Lebanese projects. "The crucial question to which we demand a clear answer is the following: will the others [Israel and its allies] allow us to build the state we claim and defend? Will the Israeli neighbor stop its aggression? Will there be guarantees for the cessation of attacks and its withdrawal to internationally recognized borders, so the Lebanese Army can be deployed there, in accordance with international resolutions and the cease-fire agreement?" he asked. "This is the core of the debate today, which requires clear, sincere, and committed answers, so that the state we seek to strengthen is a state of prestige, strength, sovereignty, and development. The responsibility is great today, greater than ever. What is expected of all of us as Lebanese are sincere, unified positions, good intentions, and actions based on our faith in shared life and common destiny, because when the ship sinks, it takes down everyone, regardless of class or rank," the minister continued, concluding: "We are all called to renew our loyalty to Lebanon alone and to work hand in hand to build the state we aspire to."
