After UNIFIL in South Lebanon

An opinion article by writer Rami al-Rayyes examines the approaching end of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission, after Security Council Resolution 2790 of 2025 extended its mandate for the last time until January 31, 2026, followed by a reduction of its troops and an orderly withdrawal within a year. The writer argues that the coming phase is a real test of the concept of the Lebanese state and its sovereignty, and that the successful transfer of security responsibilities to the Lebanese Army requires a broad domestic political settlement on the exclusivity of weapons and the security decision, alongside a halt to Israeli military operations on Lebanese territory and a clear mechanism for border control, ceasefire monitoring and addressing violations.