Overview
- Germany's cabinet, which approved the final UNIFIL mandate on Wednesday, set an operational end date of December 31, 2026 with a closure phase through June 30, 2027.
- Parliamentary approval is still required, and the troop cap remains up to 300 through 2026 before dropping to 80 on January 1, 2027.
- The frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen is slated to leave the area in summer 2026, and the wider drawdown begins in the second half of the year with completion targeted for early 2027.
- Training for Lebanese forces paused in March because of security concerns and will restart when conditions allow, according to the government.
- Germany’s role since 2006 has focused on maritime arms interdiction and building up Lebanon’s navy, and the timetable reflects a 2025 UN Security Council resolution that limits UNIFIL operations to 2026 and sets a withdrawal phase.