The withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of the country, has raised security concerns. RT’s Steve Sweeney reports on the uncertain future facing local communities after nearly five decades of international monitoring.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), established in 1978 following an Israeli invasion to help restore peace and government authority in the south, currently comprises around 7,500 peacekeepers from 46 countries. Its mandate expires on December 31, 2026, with personnel due to leave over the following year and their positions to be gradually handed over to the Lebanese army.
The decision to end the mission followed pressure from the US and Israel, which have accused UNIFIL of failing to contain the militant group Hezbollah. The Trump administration has also sought to cut UN peacekeeping spending, arguing that the Lebanese army should assume responsibility for security in the south.
UNIFIL has documented violations and reported them to the Security Council but has been unable to prevent repeated Israeli military attacks.
“Objectively speaking, it must be said that, unfortunately, UNIFIL has failed to fulfill its role in protecting the residents of the south,” local resident Mahdi Yaghi told RT.
He nevertheless warned that the absence of international peacekeepers would create a “security vacuum” that Israel would seek to exploit.
UNIFIL personnel have repeatedly faced attacks and restrictions on their movements. Last month, Israeli tanks blocked a supply convoy, preventing deliveries to UN positions. Roadblocks have also forced patrols to be canceled.
The handover to Lebanese government forces is complicated by the continued Israeli occupation of areas where the army is expected to establish control.
France and Italy have discussed forming a new international coalition, while the EU has established a separate mission to train Lebanese security forces. However, the latter is not intended to replace UNIFIL, and no agreement has been reached on a successor peacekeeping force.
More than 4,300 people have been killed and over 12,000 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since early March, according to the country’s Health Ministry. The latest escalation began after Hezbollah launched strikes against the Jewish state in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli operation against Iran.
WATCH the full report from southern Lebanon below.