Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday called for extending the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), saying its presence supports stability in the country's south.
"The UNIFIL presence in the south is important in many respects, and helps keep residents in their villages and towns, and strengthens stability in cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese army," Aoun said during a meeting with a parliamentary delegation, according to a presidency statement.
"Our first option is to extend UNIFIL's mandate," he said. "If its mandate is not extended, the second option is to adopt a formula that ensures the continued presence of international forces in the south, within the required legal framework."
Aoun said international forces would help maintain stability in cooperation with the Lebanese army.
Israel opposes UNIFIL presence
He said Israel had opposed UNIFIL's presence and "has been pressing in that direction for nearly a year," while Lebanon continued to call for the mission to remain.
"The basic idea is to achieve a breakthrough that ensures the continued international presence in the south, whether through extending UNIFIL's mandate or through international forces that support it, in a way that preserves stability and strengthens the role of the state and the Lebanese army," Aoun said.
UNIFIL has been deployed since 1978 to monitor the ceasefire along the Lebanese-Israeli border and support the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon.
Its current mandate is due to expire on December 31, 2026.
The issue comes amid continued tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli border following Israeli attacks on Lebanon that have killed more than 4,300 people, injured over 12,300 and displaced more than 1 million since March 2, according to official Lebanese figures.
