Israel Opposes International Troops in Southern Lebanon Following Unifil's Departure

Israel’s UN envoy stated on Tuesday that his country strongly opposes efforts to maintain a large international military presence in southern Lebanon after the UN peacekeeping mission concludes its mandate, asserting that Lebanese forces should take full responsibility for border security.

“Our position is very clear. We think that the decision that was passed in the Security Council on Unifil finishing its mandate by the end of the year should be respected,” Danny Danon told reporters at UN headquarters, adding that attempts by various countries to extend the mandate, alongside a letter from the Lebanese President, are a mistake.

The UN Security Council previously decided that the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) would conclude on December 31. While Mr Danon anticipated proposals for a limited international presence following Unifil’s exit, he expressed surprise at discussions regarding thousands of troops remaining in the region.

Recounting a meeting with UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Mr Danon said he was shocked to learn of plans to leave more than 5,000 troops on the ground with the flexibility to remain indefinitely, rather than scaling down to a few observers.

Stating that Israel and the US have aligned their positions, the Israeli envoy argued that it is beneficial for Lebanon to transition to the next stage without international forces that hinder its sovereignty.

Instead, Israel seeks direct engagement with the Lebanese military for border security, mirroring arrangements in place with the Egyptian army, the Jordanian military, and mechanisms established with Syria.

France and Italy announced a joint initiative in June to form an international coalition to replace Unifil in coordination with the EU and Nato to strengthen the Lebanese state. While supported by Lebanese authorities, the plan is opposed by Israel amid ongoing conflicts with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Israel has consistently accused Unifil of failing to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah, a criticism reinforced by US President Donald Trump's administration. Conversely, Unifil supporters maintain that disarmament was never part of the mission mandate, which was instead designed to support the historically weak Lebanese army.

France’s UN ambassador, Jerome Bonnafont, noted last week that options include a European-led force or a combination of UN and coalition support aimed at backing the Lebanese Armed Forces in alignment with Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

Mr Danon indicated that Israel would have fewer concerns regarding foreign troops deployed elsewhere in Lebanon, such as in Beirut, for training purposes, but drew a firm line at the border with Israel.