On-the-ground assessment: UN Security Council delegation heads to Lebanon and Syria

Report by Bassam Abou Zeid, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

A delegation of ambassadors from the 15 member states of the U.N. Security Council is expected to arrive in Lebanon and Syria on December 5 and 6, amid escalating security tensions with Israel and growing fears of expanded strikes on Lebanese territory.

Their talks will focus on the security situation in South Lebanon, the status of UNIFIL, and Lebanon’s adherence to Security Council resolutions and the ceasefire agreement. 

The centerpiece of the visit will be a tour of the south on December 6, where envoys will observe U.N. deployment zones and receive direct briefings on border developments, the fragile calm in the area, and the extent to which involved parties are complying with Resolutions 1701 and 1559, particularly regarding the halt of military activity and control of weapons outside state authority.

The delegation will also hear a detailed assessment from UNIFIL’s leadership on the challenges facing the peacekeeping force, especially as the Security Council has decided to end its mandate at the end of next year—a deadline that may come as the south still requires an international military presence to secure any long-term stability arrangement.

According to diplomatic sources, the visit will also carry a message of support for Lebanon’s legitimate institutions, notably the Lebanese Army, which is considered the primary actor responsible for securing the borders and maintaining stability. The trip may open the door to new military or humanitarian assistance.

The visit comes two days after a meeting of the monitoring mechanism, attended by U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus, who is reportedly in Israel. It remains unclear whether she will stay to join the Security Council delegation or whether another U.S. representative will participate. 

Washington has reportedly viewed positively the recent media tour organized by the Lebanese Army south of the Litani River. 

However, it has not shifted its stance that the process of consolidating arms under state control remains slow—a concern it warns could carry significant consequences.