Western and United Nations diplomats have dismissed reports about the pullout of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from southern Lebanon, calling the claims baseless as Lebanon prepares to request a renewal of the mission’s mandate, which expires in August.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told Asharq Al-Awsat that speculation over a UNIFIL pullout is “inaccurate,” though declined to elaborate on Washington’s position.

UNIFIL, established in March 1978 and significantly reshaped after the Israeli invasion in 1982 and the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, currently deploys more than 10,000 peacekeepers from around 50 countries, in addition to approximately 800 civilian staff. The mission operates primarily south of the Litani River and along the volatile border with Israel.

UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told Asharq Al-Awsat that the peacekeeping mission’s biggest challenge remains the absence of a lasting political resolution between Lebanon and Israel.

“UNIFIL continues to encourage both sides to reaffirm their commitment to the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and to take concrete steps toward addressing the outstanding issues, including those that would lead to a permanent ceasefire,” he said.

Tenenti added that it was too early to determine what shape the mission’s mandate might take beyond August, stressing that any changes to its scope are the prerogative of the UN Security Council.

In response to Israeli media claims that the United States was pushing to end UNIFIL’s mission, a Western diplomat dismissed the reports as “routine fearmongering” intended to influence Lebanese decision-making and shape regional narratives. “

This is aimed at pressuring Lebanon and other stakeholders who are invested in the continuation of UNIFIL’s stabilizing role along the Blue Line,” the diplomat told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Western diplomats confirmed that the UN Security Council is awaiting a formal request from the Lebanese government to extend the peacekeeping force’s mandate for another year. The letter, expected to include a call for Israel to fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory it continues to occupy, including the contested hilltops, is currently in preparation.