UN peacekeepers prepare to leave southern Lebanon as the UNIFIL mandate ends

11 November 2026

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, is preparing to leave southern Lebanon. In August 2025 the Security Council voted unanimously not to renew its mandate beyond the end of 2026, and withdrawal preparations are expected to begin in January 2027. The Council is still weighing what should follow, and nothing has been decided. UNIFIL has patrolled the Blue Line, the line that separates Lebanon and Israel, for 48 years. Mission spokesperson Kandice Ardiel, speaking from Naqoura, said returning residents face damaged electricity, water and road infrastructure in many villages. UN figures show the number of returning internally displaced people rose 13 per cent from September to nearly one million, while about 304,500 people remain displaced. Ardiel said impartial monitoring and international engagement will stay essential for Lebanon's stability.