Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, are seeking to extend the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as efforts to reach an agreement with Israel limiting Hezbollah are stalled.
Lebanon wants UNIFIL to remain in the country until stability is restored, regarding the peacekeeping mission as an “international umbrella supporting the Lebanese Army in implementing Resolution 1701.”
UNIFIL’s future and security arrangements in southern Lebanon were among the issues discussed during negotiations with Israel in Rome earlier this month.
The seventh round of US-brokered negotiations between Lebanon and Israel began in Rome on August 4, 2026. Discussions centered on implementing a framework agreement that calls for expanding southern “pilot zones,” coordinating phased Israeli military withdrawals and deploying the Lebanese army, as well as disarmament of Hezbollah.
Lebanese officials are also considering alternatives if UNIFIL’s mandate is not extended. One option involves forces from Italy, France and Spain, which have expressed willingness to maintain a presence in Lebanon. Those forces could be deployed through agreements directly between Lebanon and the participating countries or under a UN arrangement.
Aoun discussed the situation during meetings in Italy. The Lebanese presidency’s media office said he met Italian President Sergio Mattarella and held talks Friday night with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss the plan.
Israel has maintained that its continued military presence and strikes in Lebanon are necessary to secure its northern border, dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and respond to immediate threats posed by the group.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has rejected the framework and ruled out disarming the organization. Qassem characterized the agreement as a surrender to Israel and declared it “null and void.” He said Hezbollah would not surrender its weapons and would continue fighting Israel.
