EU Launches New Mission to Bolster Lebanese Army as UN Peacekeepers Prepare to Depart

European foreign ministers convened in Luxembourg on Monday, announcing the establishment of a new support mission for the Lebanese army. This initiative, with an initial mandate of three years, aims to enhance the capabilities of both the Lebanese army and the Internal Security Forces (ISF), while also bolstering maritime security governance, according to a statement from the EU Council.

The training mission is a key component of Europe's strategy to maintain an international presence in Lebanon following the withdrawal of the UN Interim Force (Unifil), which has been stationed on the southern border with Israel since 1978. The Unifil withdrawal is set to commence on December 31.

"Europe is invested in Lebanon's future," stated the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas. "With this new mission — a major update of our security ties — we continue to support the country’s institutions in restoring full sovereignty and building lasting stability for the Lebanese people."

The mission, officially named the European Union Support Mission in Lebanon (EUSM Lebanon), will operate in close coordination with the UN and other international partners involved in supporting Lebanon's security sector. Support for the Lebanese army will encompass land border surveillance and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), counter-smuggling operations, and operational coordination. The ISF will receive training in areas such as cybercrime and anti-smuggling.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot explained that the EU mission would enable the Lebanese police to focus on their core duties by taking over some of the army's support functions. Dylan Macchiarini Crosson, an EU researcher for Crisis Group, noted that while EUSM Lebanon will not replace Unifil, it represents a central element of the bloc's engagement in the country. He urged the EU to expedite the mission's deployment, building upon the €160 million in military assistance already provided over the past three years.

However, Mr. Crosson also pointed out that the mission does not directly address the primary security concern: maintaining an international presence in the south to support the Lebanese state, prevent the military resurgence of Hezbollah, and deter further Israeli intervention. He suggested that the initiative offers the EU more avenues for engagement, urging them to leverage these channels to press Israel and Hezbollah to adhere to the ceasefire, advocate for a reconstituted international force in the south, and expand humanitarian and development aid.

Separate discussions are underway between France and Italy regarding the potential establishment of a mission to assist the Lebanese army in disarming Hezbollah, though this initiative is still in its early stages. European nations have indicated no intention of directly engaging in the disarmament of the pro-Iran militia, which retained its weaponry after the 1990 civil war to combat the Israeli occupation. The Israeli military has established a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, with approximately 7% of Lebanese territory currently occupied and several villages destroyed to create this zone. Peace talks brokered by the US have stalled, with Israel conditioning its withdrawal on Hezbollah's disarmament, while Lebanon insists on an Israeli withdrawal first. Western nations have long urged the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, which they classify as a terrorist organization, but political will has been lacking due to Hezbollah's representation in Parliament and the historically weaker position of the Lebanese army compared to the militia's military capabilities.