US Envoy Visits Lebanon to Discuss UNIFIL Withdrawal and Security Transition

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz arrived in Beirut on Sunday to discuss the transition plan for southern Lebanon following the end of the UN peacekeeping mandate, اخبار الغد reported.

The peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, will conclude its operations on January 1, 2027, after its mandate expires on December 31, 2026. Roughly 7,500 soldiers from about 50 countries will then begin withdrawing from the country under a Security Council resolution pushed by Washington.

“Lebanon has a real opportunity to forge a sovereign and secure future,” Waltz posted on the platform X after landing.

“That is why I am here on the ground to hear the truth about the transition phase and the next steps regarding the UN force and relief agencies,” he added, according to اخبار الغد.

Shifting Security to Lebanon

During his meetings with Lebanese officials, Waltz is discussing Washington’s support for implementing the tripartite framework agreement, according to a statement from the U.S. Mission to the UN cited by Annahar. The talks focus on fostering a sovereign Lebanon free from the influence of Hezbollah and Iran.

The discussions also cover concluding the mandate of UNIFIL and transferring security responsibility to the Lebanese government. G7 foreign ministers meeting in Paris on Tuesday agreed on the necessity of avoiding a security vacuum in southern Lebanon.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that a broad consensus exists on forging a new security architecture for the region. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted that negotiations must proceed independently of Iran.

Iran has no role to play regarding Lebanon except to stop sponsoring and supporting Hezbollah, Rubio said on the sidelines of the talks.

Washington Sponsored Direct Negotiations

Washington sponsored direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon that produced a framework agreement in June. The deal provides for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied southern territories, and the deployment of the Lebanese army starting in two pilot zones.

Rubio emphasized that the solution requires monitoring those pilot zones. “We need a verification system that has the trust of everyone and the trust of both parties,” he said, to ensure compliance with existing agreements.

Lebanon fears a security vacuum because Israel continues carrying out strikes and detonations despite the ceasefire with Hezbollah. An official told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that Lebanon has requested that UNIFIL continue patrolling and reporting while preparations for the post-December 31 withdrawal move forward after the mandate extension proved impossible.

UNIFIL has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978 as a separation force between Lebanon and Israel. Following the ceasefire that ended a year-long war in November 2024, the UN force has supported the Lebanese government in implementing its plan to disarm Hezbollah.

Diplomatic Maneuvering at the UN

A new diplomatic battle is taking shape in UN Security Council corridors between the June framework agreement and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, Al-Modon reported. The dispute concerns both the future of UNIFIL and the baseline rules governing relations between Lebanon and Israel.

The United States views the framework agreement as the most realistic baseline for the southern region, while diplomatic discussions explore giving the accord a UN stamp through a Security Council resolution. Israel has pushed for direct military coordination with the Lebanese army rather than relying on traditional UN mediation.

“It is important for UNIFIL forces to continue existing in the south because of the role they play in supporting stability, especially in this phase, alongside their humanitarian and developmental role in the region.”

Following his engagements in Beirut, Waltz will travel to Morocco from November 15 to 17 to discuss regional security, the Abraham Accords, and the Western Sahara dispute, Annahar reported.