German Foreign Minister Proposes European Mission to Replace UN Forces in Lebanon
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadefohl has proposed deploying a European Union-mandated force as a replacement for the United Nations mission in Lebanon, whose mandate is set to expire by the end of this year.
In comments to newspapers in the German media network “Deutschland,” the minister said, “We in the European Union should explore, through a European mandate, whether we can ensure that no security vacuum emerges after the end of UNIFIL’s mission,” adding that this could pave the way for the Israeli army’s withdrawal “without Hezbollah returning with its terrorism.”
Wadefohl stated, “In Lebanon, whose government is experiencing increasing stability, there is currently one of the most hopeful developments in the region... We Europeans must do everything in our power to ensure that this process continues positively.”
The UN Security Council decided in August 2025 to fully terminate UNIFIL’s mandate. The mission, launched in 1978, has been monitoring the border area between Israel and Lebanon. Upon its conclusion, the Lebanese army is scheduled to take over control. The German Armed Forces are also participating in UNIFIL, with the German Navy assisting in the maritime area off the coast of Lebanon to prevent arms smuggling and training the Lebanese Navy.
France and Italy announced in late June that they would support the launch of a new support mission for the war-torn country after the end of the UN mission. French President Emmanuel Macron had clarified that, in his view, the nature of the mandate that this new mission might receive remains unclear. The European Union is already planning a support mission for the Lebanese Armed Forces and police, to be a military and civilian mission lasting at least three years.
For the first time in decades, the Lebanese and Israeli governments are holding direct political talks aimed at strengthening the ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. Despite the ceasefire, repeated attacks continue between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel also continues to maintain forces in the neighboring country’s south. Beirut and Hezbollah consider the area controlled by Israel as an illegal occupation contrary to international law.
