Peacekeeping profession: the UN Security Council discusses the extension of the mission in Lebanon

The Security Council is considering extending the UN mission in Lebanon, Andrea Tenenti, a representative of the peacekeeping forces, told Izvestia. The mandate expires on August 31. At the same time, Israel is seeking to stop the work of peacekeepers, and the United States wants to abandon support for the mission, according to media reports. Washington's possible veto on the extension of the mission could provoke a new escalation on the border. By the way, the peacekeepers stressed that, together with the Lebanese army, they had identified hundreds of ammunition caches and bunkers that had previously been used by Hezbollah.

Israel wants an end to peacekeeping operations in Lebanon

The issue of the future work of the UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, whose mandate expires on August 31, is being discussed in the Security Council. This was reported to Izvestia by the official representative of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Andrea Tenenti.

— We continue to consider UNIFIL a very important operation, especially in the context of instability in the region, and we enjoy great support from the international community. Any changes in the number of troops or operational priorities will depend on the Security Council's decision regarding the situation "on the ground." <...> Discussions are currently underway in the Security Council, both formal and informal— between Member States regarding the extension of the mandate. The final decision will be made on August 31," the representative of the mission said.

While the issue of extending the mandate remains open, pressure on the UN is increasing from Israel. According to a source in the Haaretz newspaper, the Jewish state is seeking to end the activities of peacekeepers. Consultations on this issue are planned with the United States in the coming days. Despite this, the White House denied a report by Israel Hayom that the decision to liquidate the mission had allegedly already been made. The official representative of the State Department in a comment to Haaretz called this information inaccurate, stressing, however, that the option of ending American support for UNIFIL is indeed being considered in Washington.

An unobvious conclusion: Palestine is ready to disarm its camps in Lebanon

Will it be possible to do this and what is the probability of a new confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah

According to the Times of Israel, Israel is ready to support this decision both as a sign of solidarity with the United States, the main ally in the region, and because of the alleged low effectiveness of the UN forces. According to the Israeli side, the presence of the Lebanese armed forces in the south of the country will limit the activities of Hezbollah based there, which will allegedly make the role of UNIFIL redundant. However, the mission does not share this opinion. Tenenti stressed that peacekeepers still play an important role.

— We are working closely with the Lebanese army. We work every day to support its deployment in the south, to help with the removal of unauthorized weapons. We have an open channel of communication with the IDF to prevent misunderstandings and reduce tension. Currently, Israeli troops are still occupying five positions in Lebanon," the mission noted.

Demilitarization of Hezbollah

Meanwhile, the Lebanese authorities, under pressure from the United States, are facing difficult choices. As it became known to the France-Presse news agency, during a recent visit to Beirut, the American special representative for Syria, Tom Barak, demanded official commitments to begin the process of disarming Hezbollah, in accordance with the terms of the November agreement between Israel and the pro—Iranian Shiite movement. In return, Washington expects a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon.

According to the mission's representative, in recent months, the Lebanese army, with the support of UNIFIL, has discovered several hundred ammunition caches and fortified positions previously used by Hezbollah.

—Stability in the south remains extremely fragile right now, but the changing geopolitical situation allows the Lebanese military to act more confidently than in the past," Tenenti said.

The relationship between Hezbollah and Lebanese government structures has been the subject of controversy for decades. After the end of the civil war in 1990, all formations, with the exception of this movement, were disarmed. Hezbollah was allowed to maintain a military wing under the pretext of fighting the Israeli occupation of the southern territories. Over time, the Shiite movement has developed into one of the most influential armed forces in the region, with an arsenal that surpasses the resources of the national army.

Despite repeated promises of reform and international calls for the strengthening of State power, Beirut has failed to establish exclusive control over its territory. Hezbollah operated in parallel with the armed forces and demonstrated great combat capability. The number of its fighters exceeded the size of the regular army by almost twice.

But recent events have put Hezbollah in a vulnerable position. The conflict with Israel, as well as the changes in Syria, where the Bashar al-Assad regime has long provided logistical and strategic support to the movement, have negatively affected its position. At the same time, a number of international players — the United States, France and Saudi Arabia — began to promote a course towards the reform of Lebanese statehood, insisting on a change of leadership and updating the principles of governance. As a result, a new president and Prime Minister were elected.

Thus, Washington's veto on the resolution on the extension of the UN mission may shake these principles of governance, lead to a sharp weakening of international control and, potentially, to a new escalation on the border. The Israeli army will get a "window of opportunity" for new operations deep into Lebanon, and this time without international observers.

Powder Point: Hezbollah is ready for dialogue on disarmament

At the same time, Israel maintains troops in five positions in southern Lebanon.

As Jamal Wakim, a professor at the Lebanese University, noted in a conversation with Izvestia, the current interaction between peacekeepers and the Lebanese army remains productive, but obstacles arise on the way to cooperation. In particular, due to the actions of individual mission commanders acting, according to the expert, on direct instructions from the United States and Israel. Their goal is to undermine the effectiveness of the mission and create a pretext for its reform.

"Israel's attempt to eliminate the mission is explained by the desire to change its format or transfer the mandate to other forces," the expert said.

We are talking about a multinational force that could replace the UN peacekeepers. This initiative of Western countries was reported by the Lebanese media in 2024, noting that these troops will be deployed not only along the border villages in southern Lebanon, but also along the border with Syria in order to close the entire land line of the Lebanese Republic.

The presence of peacekeepers is still holding back Israel's actions. The IDF has to take into account the mandate and areas of responsibility of UNIFIL when planning operations. This restricts the freedom of action of the Israeli army and becomes an irritating factor for the Jewish state, which would like to act more decisively against Hezbollah. Nevertheless, the Israeli air force continues to launch powerful strikes on the southern regions of Lebanon, which also does not contribute to the stabilization of the situation.