UNIFIL to withdraw most troops from Lebanon by mid-2027

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon plans to withdraw most of its troops by mid-2027, its spokesperson has told the AFP news agency. UNIFIL has acted as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon for decades and has been assisting the Lebanese army as it dismantles Hezbollah infrastructure near the Israeli border, after a recent war between Israel and the Lebanese group. Under pressure from the US and Israel, the UN Security Council voted last year to end the force’s mandate on December 31, 2026, with an “orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal” within one year.