Israel officially asks US to end UNIFIL mission in southern Lebanon

Israel officially asked the US to end the mission of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) amid repeated Israeli violations of a ceasefire in place since November 2024.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar submitted an official request to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding an “immediate termination” of UNIFIL’s operations in southern Lebanon, citing its failure to prevent Hezbollah's presence in the area, the daily Israel Hayom reported.

“The force was intended to be temporary from the outset and has failed in its fundamental task – to prevent Hezbollah's entrenchment south of the Litani River,” Saar said.

The Israeli minister accused UNIFIL of presenting the UN Security Council reports that do not reflect the reality in the field.

According to the daily, the Israeli letter suggested the deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon to replace the UNIFIL instead of extending the mandate of the UN peacekeeping.

Saar is expected to meet with Rubio during his visit to Washington, DC, next week, the daily said.

UNIFIL has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978 and was significantly reinforced under the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 after the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Its current mandate expires on Aug. 31, 2025, unless renewed by the UN Security Council.

Israel launched a military offensive in Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, which escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people and injuring around 17,000.

A ceasefire was reached in November, but Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah activities.

Under the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.