The UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon says it has prepared a plan to operate with fewer troops ahead of a crucial UN Security Council vote later this month that will determine its future.
Tensions are mounting over the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), as Israel pushes for its withdrawal while Beirut insists on renewal.
The United States has also been drawn into the centre of negotiations, with reports suggesting the Trump administration leans closer to Israel’s position, though some outlets have indicated Washington may back a final extension.
Israel has described UNIFIL's 47-year presence in south Lebanon as "ineffective", accusing it of failing to enforce UN resolutions, particularly the disarmament of Hezbollah after the 2006 war.
Lebanon argues the mission remains critical, saying it works alongside the army to dismantle militant sites under last year’s ceasefire deal that ended the Hezbollah-Israel war. Beirut maintains that its military is overstretched and lacks the resources to deploy heavily in the south without UNIFIL support.
UNIFIL operates south of the Litani River, close to the Israeli border. Its troops came under repeated Israeli fire during last year’s war.
'Now more than ever'
UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told Lebanese outlet Almodon that the mission was awaiting a UN Security Council decision, noting that its challenges extend beyond the renewal of its mandate to UN-wide financial cuts.
"It will be difficult for us to carry out all our operational activities with a smaller number of troops," Tenenti said. "If the number is reduced due to financial difficulties, the mission will need to do more work with fewer soldiers."
He added that the situation in Lebanon and the wider region had changed dramatically since last year, citing Hezbollah’s weakening and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.
Tenenti said UNIFIL has prepared contingency plans to keep supporting the Lebanese authorities and local communities, and that modern technology could allow the UNIFIL Maritime Force to function with fewer ships or personnel.
Defending the mission’s record, he said: "I understand the concerns, but let’s assume UNIFIL no longer exists, and the international community is no longer present in the south. What could happen? You need an arbitrator, a neutral body that reports to the Security Council and the international community."
Israel bombs 'Hezbollah sites'
Since the 27 November ceasefire, which Israel has violated almost daily, UNIFIL and the Lebanese army say they have dismantled hundreds of Hezbollah weapons caches, tunnels, and other sites.
On Wednesday, UNIFIL reported the discovery of a 50-metre tunnel and several unexploded ordnance near the southern village of Qusayr. Earlier this month, six Lebanese soldiers were killed when unexploded ordnance detonated in another tunnel they were clearing.
Israel, which under the ceasefire was supposed to withdraw its forces from the south, has refused to do so until Hezbollah is disarmed. The Israeli army continues to occupy five border points it deems strategic and carries out regular airstrikes across southern Lebanon.
On Thursday, an Israeli drone struck the town of Deir Siryan, killing Salim Suleiman al-Khatib, who the Israeli military said was a member of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.
The attack followed heavy airstrikes the previous evening on the outskirts of Hawsh and Bazouriyeh villages and between Ebba and Ansar, which wounded seven people. Israel said the raids targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, including weapons depots and a launch pad.
Another drone strike targeted a vehicle in Deir Zahrani on Wednesday evening.