The U.N. Security Council has renewed the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for one final year. Below is the full text of the renewal:
The Security Council,
PP1 Recalling all its previous resolutions on Lebanon, in particular resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 1559 (2004), and 1701 (2006),
PP2 Reaffirming its commitment to the full implementation of all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006), and aware of its responsibilities to help restore calm along the Blue Line, secure a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in the resolution,
PP3 Expressing deep concern at the consequences of the hostilities, in particular prior to the announcement on the cessation of hostilities on 27 November 2024, causing numerous civilian casualties and forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes,
PP4 Aware of the importance of continuing efforts to enable civilians on both sides of the Blue Line to return safely to their lands and homes,
PP5 Reiterating its call on the international community to extend economic assistance, including financial support, to help facilitate the reconstruction and development of Lebanon and the safe return of displaced persons,
PP6 Welcoming the efforts of the Lebanese government to exercise its sovereignty over its whole territory, through the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and recognize no authority other than that of the Government of Lebanon, and welcoming in that regard the implementation of the plan, which is underway, to deploy 6,000 additional personnel of the LAF in South Lebanon since 27 November 2024,
PP7 Recalling that peacekeepers must never be targeted by attack, condemning the incidents that affected United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) premises and forces, injuring several peacekeepers, and strongly urging all parties to take all measures to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and premises, as well to allow UNIFIL to carry out the functions envisaged in resolution 1701 (2006),
PP8 Taking note positively of the progress made by UNIFIL since 27 November 2024 in discovering weapons caches and in increasing its presence through patrols and inspections of locations of interest, including jointly with the LAF, which contribute to the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) and emphasise the role of UNIFIL's liaison and coordination mechanism,
PP9 Responding to the request of the Government of Lebanon to extend the mandate of UNIFIL for a period of one year, presented in a letter from the Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants to the Secretary-General of 27 June 2025, and welcoming the letter from the Secretary-General to its President of 11 July 2025 (S/2025/461) recommending this extension,
PP10 Reiterating its strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders, based on the principles and parameters set out in resolution 1701 (2006),
PP11 Determining that the situation in Lebanon continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,
1. Decides to extend for a final time the mandate of UNIFIL as set out by resolution 1701 (2006) until 31 December 2026 and to start an orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal from 31 December 2026 and within one year in the conditions set out in OP5, 5bis and 5ter;
2. Demands the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), reiterates its strong support for full respect for the Blue Line and full cessation of hostilities, and recalls the objective of a long-term solution based on the principles and elements set out in paragraph 8 of resolution 1701 (2006);
3. Welcomes the Cessation of Hostilities arrangement between Israel and Lebanon of 26 November 2024 (S/2024/870), as a critical step towards full implementation of Resolution 1701, while noting with grave concerns the continuous violations of this arrangement, including air and drone strikes on Lebanese territory, calls on all parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including regarding the protection of civilians, and requests the parties to faithfully implement its provisions, with the support of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in line with their respective mandates;
4. Calls on the Government of Israel to withdraw its forces north of the Blue Line, including from the five positions held in Lebanese territory, and to lift the designated buffer zones north of the Blue Line, and calls on the Lebanese authorities to deploy on these positions with the time-bound support of UNIFIL, and to extend the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1559 (2004), resolution 1680 (2006), resolution 1701 (2006) and of the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, for it to exercise its full sovereignty, so that as soon as possible there will be no weapons besides those of, and no authority other than that of the Government of Lebanon.
5. Requests UNIFIL to cease its operations on 31 December 2026 and to start from this date and within one year its orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal of its personnel, in close consultation with the Government of Lebanon with the aim of making Lebanon’s Government the sole provider of security in southern Lebanon, and in coordination with the troops and police contributing countries, and requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council regularly informed about relevant developments in relation with this process.
6. Decides that, during the drawdown and withdrawal period, UNIFIL is authorized to fulfil the following functions within its capabilities and its area of operation in Lebanon, in cooperation and consultation with the Government of Lebanon:
(i) To provide security for United Nations personnel, facilities, convoys, installations, and equipment and associated personnel;
(ii) To maintain situational awareness in the vicinity of UNIFIL locations;
(iii) To provide escort for United Nations uniformed and civilian personnel carrying out enabling support functions;
(iv) To execute operations in order to extract United Nations personnel and humanitarian workers in danger;
(v) To provide medical support, including casualty and medical evacuation support, for United Nations personnel;
(vi) To maintain effective strategic communication to enhance its protection;
(vii) To contribute to the protection of civilians and the safe civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance, within the limits of its capacities.
7. Decides that UNIFIL's liquidation shall begin after the ending of the drawdown and withdrawal phase, and further decides to authorize, for the duration of UNIFIL's liquidation, the retention of a limited guard capability to protect UNIFIL's personnel, facilities, and assets in close coordination with the Lebanese armed and security forces;
8. Calls on the Government of Lebanon to fully respect all provisions of the Status of Forces Agreement of December 15, 1995, until the departure of the final element of UNIFIL from Lebanon, in particular the provisions relating to UNIFIL's freedom of movement throughout Lebanon as well as its privileges and immunities, and calls on the Government of Lebanon to take all appropriate steps to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL and its associated personnel and their equipment and premises;
9. Requests UNIFIL, during the implementation of its withdrawal, in line with established United Nations practices and financial regulations and rules, to take all practical steps and precautions to ensure the assets are safely transferred to the control of the designated entity;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to explore, by 1 June 2026, options for the future of the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) after the withdrawal of UNIFIL, including options for assistance in respect of security and monitoring of the Blue Line and the ways to enhance the support to the LAF redeployment in South of the Litani River through United Nations' tools;
11. Urges the international community to intensify its support, including equipment, material and finance, to the LAF in order to ensure their effective and sustainable deployment south of the Litani River and to enhance their capacities to implement resolution 1701 (2006), requests the Secretary-General to continue adapting UNIFIL's activities, within its mandate, to support the Lebanese Armed Forces in the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon and of UNIFIL and encourages the UNIFIL Force Commander, in coordination with LAF, to fully make use of the existing rules of engagement, specifically its operational activities aimed at discovering tunnels and weapons caches, and its tactical responsiveness to mitigate denials of its freedom of movement, and to implement a proactive approach to strategic communications to support UNIFIL's activities in this regard;
12. Calls on the Government of Lebanon to enhance the coordination between UNIFIL and the LAF and to facilitate UNIFIL's prompt and full access to sites requested by UNIFIL for the purpose of swift investigation, including all locations of interest, within its mandate;
13. Calls on the Mechanism set out in the Cessation of Hostilities arrangement between Israel and Lebanon of 26 November 2024 (S/2024/870) and UNIFIL to cooperate, within the framework of UNIFIL's mandate and confined to its area of operations south of the Litani River, to implement their respective mandates, and encourages UNIFIL, within its existing mandate and capabilities and its monitoring and verification role, to provide support to the Mechanism in assisting to ensure the enforcement of the commitments made by Israel and Lebanon and in monitoring and reporting violations of resolution 1701 (2006);
14. Calls for enhanced diplomatic efforts to resolve any dispute or reservation pertaining to the international border between Lebanon and Israel, with the support of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), when relevant;
15. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report to the Council on the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), every four months, or at any time as he deems appropriate, in a manner consistent with the existing reporting format as set out by previous resolutions;
16. Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its relevant resolutions, and decides to remain actively seized of the
matter.