Overview

• Security Council members are slated to vote Thursday on renewing UNIFIL through Dec. 31, 2026, followed by a one-year orderly withdrawal.
• The United States, which pushed for a faster termination, did not object to the end-2026 timeline, though its final vote position was not publicly clear.
• The draft urges Israel to pull its forces south of the Blue Line, including from five positions identified as inside Lebanese territory.
• The planned drawdown covers about 10,800 military and civilian personnel and their equipment and would be coordinated closely with the Lebanese government.
• UNIFIL officials and European contributors caution that the Lebanese armed forces need significant support to assume full control, as parallel diplomacy ties Hezbollah measures to possible Israeli steps and economic incentives.