Unifil warns Lebanon operations could be affected by global peacekeeper cuts

The UN force supports Lebanese army to reassert state control over south Lebanon

A Unifil armoured vehicle in Beirut. AFP

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) has warned that its operations could be disrupted by a recent UN decision to reduce peacekeeping personnel worldwide by 25 per cent, following US funding cuts to the world body.

A senior UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters last week that thousands of peacekeepers could be withdrawn from remote hotspots over the coming months as the United States, the largest UN donor, adjusts contributions in line with President Donald Trump's “America First” agenda. Unifil confirmed the reports.

“Unifil is still studying what the peacekeeping budget shortfalls will mean for our mission in south Lebanon, but we know we have some hard decisions ahead of us,” spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel told The National on Tuesday. “We are currently in the process of finalising our plans but we already know this will directly impact our ability to fully implement the tasks we have.”

Washington is the UN’s largest peacekeeping contributor, providing more than 26 per cent of the total funding, followed by China, which contributes nearly 24 per cent. These assessments are mandatory, not voluntary. The US had been expected to contribute $1.3 billion of the $5.4 billion budget for 2025–2026 peacekeeping operations, but it has told the UN that it will pay only about half that amount – $680 million.

President Trump has consistently argued that international institutions have exploited the US, leading to his decision to significantly reduce foreign aid.

Unifil was established in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon. Its original mandate was to confirm Israel’s withdrawal, restore peace and security and assist the Lebanese government in re-establishing its authority in the area.

Over time, particularly after the 2006 war between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, Unifil's role expanded under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to include monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon and helping ensure that the area between the Litani River and the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated border with Israel, remains free of unauthorised armed personnel or weapons.

Following the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah that concluded in November 2024, Unifil has been assisting the Lebanese government to assert control over its southern territory.

Under the US-brokered ceasefire, Hezbollah and Israel were both required to withdraw from south Lebanon, while the UN force deployed there alongside the Lebanese military, in part to help dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure. Israel, however, has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon on what it says are Hezbollah targets, and has maintained its troops in five locations it deems strategically important.

“We will work closely with Lebanese authorities and our troop-contributing countries to implement any required changes in the least disruptive way possible,” said Ms Ardiel. “We will also do all that we can to ensure we continue to accomplish our most important tasks under Resolution 1701.” It remains unclear how many peacekeepers will be affected by the cuts.

Unifil numbers 10,800 military and civilian personnel from almost 50 countries. In August, the Security Council voted to extend the force's mandate until December 2026.

Israel has breached the ceasefire thousands of times, according to data from Unifil. At the weekend, the peacekeeping mission said one of its members was wounded by an Israeli grenade dropped near its position in the country's south, the third such incident in just over a month.

Lebanon is under heavy pressure to disarm non-state actors, including the powerful Hezbollah. Last week, army commander Gen Rodolphe Haykal briefed the Lebanese government on efforts to disarm the group, a month after the cabinet approved the plan.

The US has made it clear that economic aid to Lebanon is largely contingent on progress towards disarmament. At the same time, Washington has pressed Israel to halt strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon to give Beirut space to carry out its operations.