Lebanon’s president and prime minister on Thursday welcomed the unanimous decision of the United Nations Security Council to extend the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon until the end of 2026, calling the move a vital step toward safeguarding stability along the country’s volatile border with Israel.

The 15-member council voted unanimously to prolong the mission of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until December 31, 2026, while also setting a timeline for a gradual drawdown beginning at the end of that year.

President Joseph Aoun thanked all council members for their support, singling out France, the resolution’s penholder, for “the effort it exerted,” and the United States for “its understanding of Lebanon’s circumstances and its support for the French draft.” He also praised Lebanon’s UN mission, the foreign ministry and other government agencies for their role in the negotiations.

Aoun said he hoped the next 16 months would “be an opportunity to rescue the Lebanese situation and consolidate stability on our southern borders,” adding that the following year, earmarked for a phased withdrawal, should mark “a firm timeframe to affirm Lebanon’s sovereignty over all its territory.”

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also hailed the extension, thanking council members for their “constructive engagement” and France for its “constructive efforts in securing consensus.”

He noted the renewal covers a period of one year and four months, after which UNIFIL will begin a gradual and safe withdrawal over the course of 2027. The resolution also requests the UN Secretary-General to present options for the implementation of Resolution 1701 after UNIFIL’s departure, including security arrangements and monitoring of the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated border between Lebanon and Israel.

The council reiterated its demand that Israel withdraw from five positions it still occupies inside Lebanon and reaffirmed the need for Beirut to extend state authority across its entire territory in line with earlier UN resolutions and the 1989 Taif Accord.

“There must be no weapons outside the control of the state and no authority other than that of the government,” the resolution said.

The text also urged the international community to increase support for the Lebanese army by providing equipment, supplies and funding to ensure its effective deployment. It further called for activating mechanisms under the cessation-of-hostilities arrangements between Lebanon and Israel, and for full cooperation with UNIFIL to guarantee implementation.