The first UNIFIL troops deployed in the area on 23 March 1978 were redeployed from other UN
peacekeeping operations in the region, the (
United Nations Emergency Force, the
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, and the
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone). The majority of the force's initial personnel were provided by Canada, Iran and Sweden, with support from France, Nepal and Norway. The initial force consists of 4,000 troops. This was increased to 6,000 in May 1978. Israeli forces withdrew from the area on 13 June 1978, after which the
Free Lebanon Army under
Saad Haddad remained in the area. On April 18, 1979, Haddad proclaimed the area under his control the "Independent Free Lebanon". The following day, he was branded a traitor by the Lebanese government and officially dismissed from the Lebanese Army. Part of the Army of Free Lebanon returned to government control, while Haddad's part split away and was renamed the
South Lebanon Army (SLA) in May 1980. UNIFIL began patrolling operations and established a series of positions, including checkpoints, roadblocks and observation posts. UNIFIL operations during this time were hindered by restrictions that were imposed on its freedom of movement and a lack of cooperation by all parties to the conflict. There were several attacks on its personnel, including ambushes, kidnappings, shelling and sniping. As a result, only limited progress was made in fulfilling its mandate between 1978 and 1982. In February 1982, the force was increased by a further 1,000 troops. During the 1982 Lebanon War, commencing on 6 June 1982, Israeli forces advanced into south Lebanon. Despite being ordered to block the advance, the UN positions were either bypassed or overrun, primarily by the SLA forces under Saad Haddad. The SLA was the main Lebanese paramilitary force supported by the
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in southern Lebanon. The UN force was overwhelmed within a day. At least one Norwegian peacekeeper was killed in the initial attack. Following this, UNIFIL focused primarily on the distribution of aid and medical support. A new peacekeeping force, the
Multinational Force in Lebanon was also created and deployed in Beirut until it was withdrawn in March 1984.
South Lebanon conflict (until 2000) Beginning in 1985, Israel scaled back its permanent positions in Lebanon, although the IDF maintained some forces in
Southern Lebanon, along with the SLA, to establish a
security zone to prevent attacks on Israel from Lebanon. These forces were engaged by several groups, including
Hezbollah. The period saw the 1993
Seven-Day War in Lebanon, and in 1996, south Lebanon was
bombarded by the Israeli army, air force, and navy for seventeen days. According to
Amnesty International, during the 1996 bombardment, UNIFIL compounds and vehicles came under Israeli aircraft or artillery fire 270 times. This included the shelling of the
Fijian UNIFIL compound near
Qana where 102 villagers sheltering were killed. In his 21 July 2006 report about the UNIFIL activities 21 January – 18 July 2006, the
Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan stated that "Some Hezbollah positions remained in close proximity to United Nations positions, especially in the Hula area, posing a significant security risk to United Nations personnel and equipment."
Combat-related incidents • On 17 July, a UNIFIL international staff member and his wife were killed when Israeli aircraft bombed the Hosh District of
Tyre,
Lebanon. • On 23 July, Hezbollah fire wounded an Italian observer. • On 25 July, Hezbollah opened small arms fire at a UNIFIL convoy, forcing it to retreat. • On 25 July, four soldiers from the Ghanaian battalion were lightly injured after an Israeli tank shell hit a UNIFIL position during fighting in Southern Lebanon on 24 July 2006. • Shrapnel from tank shells fired by the IDF seriously wounded an Indian soldier on 16 July 2006. • On 25 July, four
UNTSO observers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland were killed by Israeli strikes on an
OGL (Observer Group Lebanon) patrol base near
Khiam in southern Lebanon. According to the UN, the Israelis stated they were responding to "Hezbollah fire from that vicinity" and the four had taken shelter in a bunker under the post. The area around the site was hit by a precision guided bomb from an Israeli jet and shelled a total of 14 times by Israeli artillery throughout the day despite warning calls made by UN personnel to the IDF. However, General
Alain Pellegrini, then commander of UNIFIL, claims that he attempted to call Israeli officials "five or six times", but never got past their secretaries. Later, Israeli artillery shelling resumed as a rescue team tried to clear the rubble. • On 29 July, two Indian soldiers were wounded when their post was damaged during an Israeli airstrike in Southern Lebanon. • On 6 August, a Hezbollah rocket hit the headquarters of the Chinese UNIFIL contingent, wounding three Chinese soldiers. • On 12 August, a Ghanaian soldier was wounded when Israeli artillery shelled the area near the village of
Haris.
From August 2006 Visit by Secretary-General In order to stress the importance of implementing
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, UN Secretary-General Annan himself paid a visit to UNIFIL on the ground in August 2006.
Reinforcements stands guard during the UNIFIL mission in 2007 By July 2006, UNIFIL's strength had dropped to its lowest, with only 1,980 personnel deployed. Following the UN-brokered ceasefire, UNIFIL received a large number of reinforcements, up to 15,000 personnel, and heavy equipment. France committed to increase its complement from 400 to 2,000 men and send
Leclerc main battle tanks and
AMX 30 AuF1 self-propelled artillery, in addition to the forces deployed in
Opération Baliste. Italy committed to deploying 3,000 troops, while
Qatar offered to send between 200 and 300 troops. As the French were preparing to deploy, French commander of UNIFIL
Alain Pellegrini and the country's foreign minister,
Philippe Douste-Blazy, stated that France would not intervene to disarm Hezbollah. A naval component of UNIFIL was set up to assist the
Lebanese Navy as an interim measure to prevent arms proliferation to Hezbollah while the Lebanese Navy builds its capacity. For a period the force was German-led under the command of a German admiral before handing over to the Italians. The
Indonesian contingent received 12
VAB (Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé) on 17 February 2007, as part of the second wave of shipments from the agreement between the French and
Indonesian governments. Among the equipment sent with the second wave of VABs were 10 tool boxes (pioneering equipment), 10 armored vehicle radio communications units,
HMG (Heavy Machine Gun) shooter shields, and 40 water
jerrycans. On 16 March 2009,
KRI Diponegoro, an Indonesian joined the UNIFIL Naval Task Force. In August 2010, two Indonesian soldiers were criticized after they escaped from clashes between Israel and Lebanon by fleeing in a taxi. Following the war, British military historian
John Keegan predicted that Israel would in the future invade Lebanon and continue attacking until Hezbollah's system of tunnels and bunkers was destroyed, as Israel would not tolerate a "zone of invulnerability" occupied by a sworn enemy, or a double threat posed by Hezbollah and
Hamas rockets, and that Israel might first attack the
Gaza Strip. Keegan noted that any IDF entry into Southern Lebanon would risk provoking a clash with UNIFIL, but that it is unlikely to deter Israel, as it tends to behave with "extreme ruthlessness" when national survival is at stake. Many troops, including the Finnish, Irish, Qataris and Indonesians, pulled out of UNIFIL in 2007–2008. Some of these nations had been there for over 30 years (the Irish and Finnish), and one of the reasons for the withdrawal was reportedly concerns about the changing rules of engagement following the arrival of NATO forces in August 2006 and because of high-level German and French statements expressing unlimited support to the Israeli side. In November 2009, the Polish military contingent of UNIFIL had begun withdrawal. The process of withdrawing Polish forces ended on December 11, 2009, when the last units of the liquidation group left Lebanon. UNIFIL peacekeepers, 2007 In 2010, a series of standoffs and clashes erupted between UNIFIL troops and Lebanese villagers in the border region. Villagers accused French peacekeepers of provocative and intrusive patrols, and of taking pictures of people inside their homes. People of
Aitaroun town,
Marjayoun, accused the French regiments of driving their heavy vehicles through their two-month-old tobacco fields, which support many families. UNIFIL was also accused of having stepped up its patrols and of failing to coordinate with the Lebanese Army. In July 2010, the most serious incident occurred when the French regiments decided to carry out exercises unilaterally, without Lebanese units or other regiments. When they went into the narrow alleys of Lebanese villages, some residents first tried to redirect them out of their private areas. The French fired against the civilians, arrested a youth driving a motorcycle, and destroyed the vehicle. When other civilians saw that, they surrounded and attacked the UNIFIL French troops without any weapons. The vehicles' windows were smashed by stones from dozens of civilians of all ages, and the French commander was wounded. The French troops were forcibly disarmed by the villagers, and weapons were then handed over to the Lebanese Army. The French unit could not explain why they behaved unilaterally. Their ambassador to the UN said the civilian attack "was not spontaneous". At the request of the United Nations, 7,000 additional Lebanese soldiers were deployed to South Lebanon as approved by the Lebanese Cabinet.
UNIFIL force in 2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash peacekeepers during an inspection while serving with UNIFIL on 19 September 2013. The 2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash occurred on 3 August 2010. It was the deadliest incident along the border since the devastating
2006 Lebanon War. The UN force stationed in southern Lebanon urged "maximum restraint" following the clashes along the so-called
Blue Line, a UN-drawn border separating Lebanon from Israel. UNIFIL peacekeepers were in the area where the clashes took place. United Nations peacekeepers tried to hold off the routine Israeli tree-pruning that led to a deadly border clash with Lebanese soldiers. An Indonesian UN battalion was on the scene, and they did their best to try to prevent it, but they were unable to.
Indonesian peacekeepers tried to no avail to calm the situation before the clashes erupted. The fighting increasingly intensified, so the small contingent of UNIFIL forces was ordered to retreat or find cover and then report back to the base. The Indonesian contingent, under intense small arms fire and shelling between the two opposing forces, retreated and returned to their base, but two soldiers fell behind and briefly became isolated before the stunned and exhausted soldiers were helped by some locals. UN peacekeepers did not escape the confrontation unscathed. Local TV reported that in some cases, villagers attempted to block UNIFIL vehicles from fleeing the combat zone, demanding that they return and fight. However, current and former UNIFIL officials said that at that point in the conflict, it was out of peacekeepers' hands. One former UNIFIL official explained that he has been in these situations before, and when the opposing sides are determined to shoot at each other, there is nothing the UNIFIL force can do. Regarding concerns about UNIFIL's neutrality, a former UNIFIL commander highlighted the importance of perception, stating that if UNIFIL forces intervened to protect the IDF, UNIFIL would be accused by Hezbollah or the Lebanese people of protecting the Israelis. On the other hand, if UNIFIL forces were seen to favour the Lebanese,
Israel would accuse UNIFIL of collaborating with Hezbollah.
Post-2006 deployment Post 2006, UNIFIL was deployed throughout
Southern Lebanon, south of the
Litani River, and primarily along the United Nations-drawn
Blue Line, the border between
Israel and
Lebanon. Since then, the force's activities have centered around monitoring military activity between
Hezbollah and the
Israeli Defense Forces to reduce tensions and allay tension along the border. UNIFIL has played an important role in clearing landmines, assisting displaced persons and providing humanitarian assistance to civilians in the underdeveloped region of
Southern Lebanon. Under
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which passed as a result of the
2006 Lebanon War, its mandate and rules of engagement changed. The mandate changed to allow up to 15,000 personnel in order to assist the
Lebanese Armed Forces in deploying in
Southern Lebanon to implement the Lebanese government's sovereignty. The rules of engagement changed to allow the troops to open fire in certain cases: mostly in cases of self-defense but also to protect civilians, UN personnel and facilities. The new resolution states that UNIFIL can "take all the necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces, and as it deems necessary with its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind." On 27 August 2006,
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that UNIFIL would not intercept arms shipments from
Syria, unless requested to do so by Lebanon. In June 2007, six peacekeepers (three Spanish and three Colombian) were killed when a car bomb targeted their armoured vehicle on the road between Khiyam and Marjayoun. In January 2015, peacekeeper Corporal Francisco Javier Soria Toledo of the Spanish army was killed by Israeli artillery fire during an exchange with Hezbollah in the Shebaa Farms area. In December 2022, UNIFIL peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney from Ireland was killed when his convoy was attacked and fired upon in Al-Aqbieh. Six members of Hezbollah were later sentenced by a Lebanese military tribunal for the killing.
Maritime Task Force The Maritime Task Force (MTF) is the naval component of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). As of February 2012, the MTF was under the command of Rear Admiral Wagner Lopes de Moraes Zamith of
Brazil. The
Brazilian frigate Constituição is the flagship of the fleet comprising vessels from
Bangladesh,
Brazil,
Germany,
Greece,
Indonesia and
Turkey. The Germans lead the MTF up until 29 February 2008 when they passed control over to
EUROMARFOR – a force made up of ships from Portugal, Spain, Italy and France, of which the latter three countries sent vessels to the force in Lebanon.
Personnel in the snow, close to the Israeli border in South-Lebanon, 1998 , UNIFIL employed 10,480 military personnel, including 500
women, from 41 countries. It is supported by 239 international civilian staff, including 78 women, and 583 national civilian staff, including 153 women. It is led by Spanish Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz. The UNIFIL military component also includes a contingent from Kazakhstan. The Kazakh peacekeeping forces joined the mission for the first time in late 2018. A total of 120 soldiers from Kazakhstan were deployed as part of the Indian battalion in Lebanon on 31 October 2018. In 2019, UNSC resolution 2485 extended the mission's mandate until August 2020 and reduced the troop ceiling from 15,000 to 13,000. In November 2019, after ten years of absence, the Polish military contingent returned.
Protecting cultural heritage In April 2019, the United Nations Interim Force deployed a cultural asset in Lebanon with
Blue Shield International. It was shown that cultural property protection (carried out by military and civil specialists) forms the basis for the future peaceful and economic development of a city, region or country in many conflict zones. The need for training and coordination of the military and civilian participants, including the increased involvement of the local population, became apparent, especially at
World Heritage Sites. The connection between cultural user disruption and causes of flight was explained by the President of Blue Shield International,
Karl von Habsburg, who stated: "Cultural assets are part of the identity of the people who live in a certain place. If you destroy their culture, you also destroy their identity. Many people are uprooted, often have no prospects anymore and subsequently flee from their homeland."
2023 Israel–Hezbollah conflict Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire across the
Israel-Lebanon border since 8 October 2023. Hezbollah has fired rockets at targets in Israel, while the
IDF has struck targets in Lebanon with artillery and drones.
2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon On 17 and 18 September 2024, Israel attacked
Hezbollah members with
bombs concealed inside pagers and other small electronic devices. On 20 September, an
IDF airstrike hit Beirut. Similar bombardments followed
throughout the rest of September. On the evening of 30 September, the IDF invaded southern Lebanon with approximately 45,000 troops, while air strikes on Beirut and other targets throughout Lebanon continued. UNIFIL forces did not intervene, and remained in their positions. On 4 October, IDF told
Irish UNIFIL personnel to withdraw from one of their positions. Representatives of the peacekeeping mission and the Irish government declined. Due to the intensive military operations of Israel against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, 150 Polish soldiers from the 9th rotation could not return to the country and had to wait in shelters until the conflict escalated. By November 1, all Polish soldiers from the 9th rotation had returned to Poland. In the evening of 9 October, IDF soldiers "deliberately fired at and disabled" the video surveillance system at UNP 1-31 base, the lighting system, and a radio repeater at UNP 1-32A base with
small arms fire, according to the UN. On 10 October 2024, Israeli troops opened fire on three UNIFIL positions in South Lebanon, including UNIFIL's main base at
Naqoura. Two Indonesian personnel were injured after an Israeli tank fired on an observation tower. The same day, Israel demanded the immediate withdrawal of all UNIFIL personnel located within 5 km of the Israeli-Lebanese border (meaning all the mission's positions in South Lebanon). In the evening, the governments of France, Italy and Spain released a joint statement condemning the attacks. The US government also called on Israel not to attack UNIFIL bases. UNIFIL bases suffered heavy damage in clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah on the evening of 11 October. On 12 October, one Indonesian UNIFIL soldier was injured by Israeli fire. On the same day, 12 October,
Poland, together with a group of 43 other countries participating in the mission, condemned Israel's attacks on UNIFIL forces, calling for an immediate cessation of the attacks and ensuring adequate protection for UN personnel in accordance with international law. The countries that joined the Polish initiative condemning the attacks on UNIFIL are:
Armenia,
Austria,
Bangladesh,
Brazil,
Cambodia,
China,
Cyprus,
Croatia,
El Salvador,
Estonia,
Fiji,
Finland,
France,
Germany,
Ghana,
Greece,
Guatemala,
Hungary,
India,
Indonesia,
Ireland,
Italy,
Kazakhstan,
South Korea,
Latvia,
Malaysia,
Malta,
Moldova,
Mongolia,
Nepal,
Netherlands,
North Macedonia,
Peru,
Qatar,
Serbia,
Sierra Leone,
Spain,
Sri Lanka,
Tanzania,
Turkey,
United Kingdom,
Uruguay. On 13 October, the mission reported that two IDF
Merkava tanks had forced their way inside a UNIFIL position after destroying its gate. According to a confidential report prepared by the government of one of UNIFIL's contributing countries that was reviewed by the
Financial Times, the Merkava tanks had remained in the base for 45 minutes after UNIFIL objections, but within an hour of their departure, multiple
white phosphorus munitions were fired within 100 metres of the base, injuring 15 peacekeepers. Later that day, Israeli attacks on UNIFIL personnel and positions were condemned in a joint statement by 40 countries contributing to the peacekeeping mission. On 20 October, the IDF attacked a UNIFIL base in
Marwahin, demolishing an observation tower and perimeter fence with an army bulldozer. On October 21, 2024, a Croatian staff officer returned home because Croatia had not provided him with any military personnel for some time due to the high risk involved. On 25 October, UNIFIL said in a statement that one of its observation towers near Dhayra had come under fire from Israeli troops on 22 October when they noticed the peacekeepers observing them "conducting house clearing operations nearby". The mission said that the peacekeepers on duty withdrew from the tower "to avoid being shot" On 26 October, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said the mission's work was continuing, and "We are still present at all our locations, and we mean every one of these sites."
2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement On 27 November 2024, a ceasefire agreement was signed by Israel, Lebanon, and five mediating countries, including the United States. Between the 27 November 2024 ceasefire and the start of the March 2026 war, Israeli forces were documented committing more than 15,400 violations of Lebanese sovereignty. These incidents included near-daily airstrikes, ground incursions, and the maintenance of five unauthorised military positions inside Lebanon. Over 15,400 violations were documented by UNIFIL and the Lebanese government. Approximately 8,100, involving drones, fighter jets, and helicopters. More than 2,600, including troop movements and firing across the Blue Line. Israeli fire killed at least 370 people and injured over 1,100 during this period. More than 64,000 people remained internally displaced as of late 2025 due to ongoing insecurity in border regions. UNIFIL documented the construction of an Israeli wall extending past the Blue Line, making 4,000 square metres of Lebanese land inaccessible. UNIFIL reported numerous deliberate and incidental attacks by Israeli forces. These incidents included direct tank fire, drone-dropped grenades, and the destruction of surveillance equipment, resulting in injuries and significant hindrance to peacekeeping operations. On 2 September 2025, Israeli drones dropped four grenades near peacekeepers clearing roadblocks near the Blue Line. One grenade landed within 20 metres of UN personnel. A similar incident occurred on 26 October 2025, where a drone dropped a grenade near a patrol moments before a tank fired towards them. On 16 November 2025, an Israeli Merkava tank fired heavy machine gun rounds within five metres of peacekeepers on foot inside Lebanese territory. UNIFIL described this as a "serious violation" of Resolution 1701. UNIFIL reported no new military infrastructure from non-state actors after the 2024 truce. They discovered over 360 illegal weapon caches and 300 pieces of unexploded ordnance, which were referred to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) for disposal.
2026 Lebanon war Since 2 March 2026, there has been an ongoing
war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. It is a resumption of major fighting in the Israel–Hezbollah conflict that began in late 2023, and is part of the wider conflict in the Middle East. The ongoing war has killed more than 1,500 militants and civilians in Lebanon and displaced nearly 1 million, 20% of the country's population, creating a humanitarian crisis. The IDF issued a statement demanding the evacuation of the civilian population from the UNIFIL area of operations to the north of the
Litani River on 4 March 2026. The order instructed residents of southern Lebanese villages and towns to move immediately ahead of a new wave of strikes against Hezbollah targets. On 6 March 2026, two Israeli missile strikes hit a UNIFIL battalion headquarters in
Al-Qaouzah, injuring three UN peacekeepers from Ghana. According to the Ghana Armed Forces, two soldiers sustained critical injuries, while a third was left traumatised. The most severely wounded peacekeeper was evacuated to a hospital in Beirut for surgery, while the others received care at a UNIFIL medical facility. The strikes destroyed the base's Officers' Mess facility, which was engulfed in flames following the impact. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later admitted to the strike, stating it was a mistake. An internal investigation concluded that the fire, intended for Hezbollah targets, was "mistakenly carried out" using 120mm tank shells. UNIFIL condemned the attack as "unacceptable," noting that targeting peacekeepers performing Security Council-mandated tasks could amount to a war crime. The Ghanaian government lodged a formal protest at the United Nations headquarters in New York, demanding a thorough investigation and accountability. Israel apologised to both Ghana and the United Nations for the error. French President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun both issued strong condemnations of the strike. On 15 March 2026, peacekeepers from UNIFIL were fired upon in three separate incidents while conducting routine patrols near their bases in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL stated the gunfire was likely carried out by non-state armed groups. The fire in Yatar hit as close as five metres from the peacekeepers. The sources of fire in the two other incidents were about 100 and 200 metres away, respectively. Two patrols returned fire in self-defence, and after brief exchanges, the patrols resumed their planned activities. No peacekeeper was injured. An Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeeper was killed on 29 March 2026 when a projectile exploded in a UNIFIL position near Adchit Al Qusayr. Another peacekeeper was critically injured. A UNIFIL investigation concluded that the projectile which killed the Indonesian peacekeeper was a 120mm shell fired from an Israeli Merkava tank. The next day, on 30 March 2026, a UNIFIL logistics convoy was hit by an explosion near the town of Bani Hayyan. Two members of the Indonesian contingent were killed. A third peacekeeper was severely injured, and a fourth was also hurt. The explosion was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Investigators concluded that, based on the location and context, the device was most likely planted by Hezbollah. UNIFIL reported that the Israel Defense Forces systematically destroyed 17 surveillance cameras at its headquarters in Naqoura between 3 and 4 April 2026. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel stated that the equipment appeared to have been targeted by "some kind of laser" to disable the mission's monitoring capabilities. Cameras were also destroyed at five other UNIFIL positions on the Blue Line from Ras Naqoura to Maroun ar Ras by the IDF. On the evening of 7 April 2026, the IDF briefly detained a Spanish UNIFIL peacekeeper after intercepting a logistics convoy. The peacekeeper was released in less than an hour following "direct and immediate contacts" from UNIFIL's Head of Mission, Force Commander, and Liaison Branch. UNIFIL stated the detention was a "blatant violation of international law" and a breach of UNSCR 1701, which mandates freedom of movement for peacekeepers. Spain summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires to protest the "unjustified detention" of their soldier, who was part of a contingent delivering supplies. The Spanish National Court (Audiencia Nacional) has opened preliminary investigation proceedings against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the detention of the Spanish peacekeeper. The court is investigating potential war crimes, illegal detention, and coercion. On 8 April 2026, the IDF fired warning shots at an Italian UNIFIL logistics convoy. The incident occurred approximately 2 km from the UNIFIL base in Shama while the convoy was travelling toward Beirut. There were no injuries reported among the Italian personnel, but at least one vehicle sustained minor damage from the shots. The convoy immediately halted and returned to its departure base in Shama. The incident sparked a significant diplomatic row between Italy and Israel. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome to demand an immediate explanation, stating that Italian soldiers "are not to be touched". Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the actions "irresponsible" and a clear violation of UN Resolution 1701. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto expressed "firm and indignant protest," calling the targeting of clearly identified UN vehicles. On 11 April 2026, UNIFIL reported that Israeli soldiers spray-painted the windows of a pedestrian access gate at their headquarters in southern Lebanon, obstructing visibility. On 12 April 2026, UNIFIL reported that IDF soldiers twice rammed their vehicles with a Merkava tank near Bayada, southern Lebanon. One of these incidents caused significant damage to the peacekeepers' equipment. On 17 April 2026, a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon officially came into effect. Despite the pause in major strikes, UNIFIL spokesperson Tilak Pokharel noted that artillery and mortar shelling continued in some areas of southern Lebanon in the early hours of the ceasefire. Israeli airspace violations also persist. On the morning of 18 April 2026, a UNIFIL patrol was attacked while clearing explosive ordnance in the village of
Al-Ghandouriyah. One French peacekeeper was killed, and three others were wounded, two of them seriously. The team was working to clear explosives to re-establish access to isolated UNIFIL positions. UNIFIL reported the patrol came under small-arms fire from non-state actors. President Emmanuel Macron stated that evidence suggests responsibility lies with Hezbollah.
UNIFIL mandate ending Following the 2024 ceasefire related to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah militias in southern Lebanon, negotiations began on extending the UNIFIL mission. Ultimately in August 2025 UN Security Council voted to extend the mission until the end of 2026, under pressure from Israel and the US. The mandate of the peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon is valid until December 31, 2026. After this date, in 2027, the process of withdrawing the UNIFIL peacekeeping force is to begin, handing over the protection of the Blue Line to the Lebanese Armed Forces, however due to cost-cutting measures in November 2025, the number of UN peacekeepers was reduced from 10,500 to over 9,900 compared to the beginning of the year. By February 2026, the number of UN peacekeepers had fallen to 7,500 and another reduction in UN forces is planned by May. In December 2025, the Italian Minister of Defence
Guido Crosetto declared that Italy would leave troops in southern Lebanon after the end of the UNIFIL mandate, as part of participation in MCT4L and MIBIL missions. Finland has declared that it will remain in the UNIFIL mission until the mandate expires in December 2026. Austrian and Irish peacekeepers are to remain in Lebanon under the existing UNIFIL mandate until 2027. The South Korea declared the withdrawal of its forces from the UNIFIL mission by the end of 2027. In turn, the Polish peacekeeping forces that are part of IRISHPOLBATT are to remain until 31 August 2026. On 1 February 2026 patrols along the Blue Line were temporarily suspended after the Israeli military reported the use of a "non-toxic chemical substance". A week later, a spokesperson from the UN noted that they had received reports of the spraying of highly concentrated
glyphosate herbicide and expressed concerns. On 13 March 2026, the Croatian officer ended his service due to Croatia's withdrawal of military contingents from Iraq and Lebanon. ==Contributing countries==