US mulls withdrawing support for UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon

The United States is reportedly considering withdrawing its support for the United Nations peacekeeping force deployed in southern Lebanon, a move that could mark a significant shift in the region’s security dynamics.

Thus, Washington is re-evaluating its commitment to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as part of a broader cost-cutting agenda, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

Should the Biden administration decide to proceed, Israel is expected to endorse the decision. The backing stems from both strategic alignment with the United States and growing confidence in the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), whose presence in the region has increased following a ceasefire agreement last November.

Sources familiar with the matter noted that no final decision has yet been made. However, American officials are said to be pushing for sweeping reforms to the UN mission. If those reforms are not realised, the US could opt to veto the annual UN Security Council resolution that renews UNIFIL’s mandate, which is up for review in August.

Established in 1978, UNIFIL’s original mission was to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. Following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, the force was expanded under UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The revised mandate enabled peacekeepers to work alongside the LAF to assert state control in areas that had been dominated by Hezbollah.

While critics have long questioned the effectiveness of UNIFIL, Israeli security officials now suggest that the LAF has made significant progress in countering Hezbollah’s operations. Reports indicate the Lebanese military has been effective in curbing the group’s attempts to rearm, rendering some aspects of the UN mission redundant.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam recently told The Wall Street Journal that his government had achieved approximately 80 per cent of its objectives concerning the disarmament of Hezbollah and other militant factions in the country’s south.

Under Resolution 1701, Hezbollah is required to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River—roughly 30 kilometres from the Israeli border—and dismantle military infrastructure in the area.

Nevertheless, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) continue to carry out strikes against Hezbollah targets, citing repeated breaches of the ceasefire. Israeli military sources claim that more than 180 Hezbollah operatives have been killed since the truce took effect, underscoring the fragile nature of the peace.

By Aghakazim Guliyev