Overview

• France circulated a draft that would renew the Lebanon peacekeeping mission through Aug. 31, 2026 and signal work toward a withdrawal only once the Lebanese state controls the south under a comprehensive political arrangement.
• The United States told a closed-door meeting it wants one final 12-month extension, and a State Department spokesperson declined public comment on the ongoing negotiations.
• A Security Council vote is expected on Aug. 25, and the current authorization lapses at the end of the month following the mission’s annual renewal cycle.
• European governments, including France and Italy, warn that ending the mission too soon could create a security vacuum that Hezbollah could exploit, while Washington has cut peacekeeping funding and questions UNIFIL’s effectiveness.
• The draft also urges intensified international support—equipment, material and financing—for the Lebanese Armed Forces, reflecting UNIFIL’s reliance on state security in an area where Hezbollah retains significant influence.