EU Launches Security Mission to Support Lebanese Armed Forces
The European Union is deploying a security mission to train Lebanese forces and is urging the UN to extend the UNIFIL peacekeeping mandate.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced a new EU training and advisory mission to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces during a visit to Beirut on October 8, 2026. The mission, which follows a formal request from the Lebanese government, aims to strengthen border security, internal security, and territorial control. EU foreign ministers are expected to formally approve the deployment on October 12, with more than 100 military personnel from France, Spain, and Italy scheduled to arrive in Beirut by the end of 2026. Officials specified that these personnel will not be deployed in southern Lebanon.
Kallas warned that the mission is not a replacement for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mandate expires on December 31, 2026, following a UN Security Council vote influenced by U.S. pressure. She advocated for an extension of the UNIFIL mandate to avoid a dangerous security vacuum in the south, where Israel maintains a security zone. Kallas emphasized that Lebanon must achieve full control of its territory, which includes the disarmament of Hezbollah.
To support these security efforts, the European Union is providing a financial aid package totaling one billion euros, including a 505 million euro installment announced in September. The new security mission will operate in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
