More than 10 European Union countries are willing to provide personnel and resources for a planned mission to support Lebanon’s armed forces, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday.
The proposed operation is intended to strengthen the Lebanese military and help the government expand its ability to provide security throughout the country. The initiative is also linked to efforts to allow the Lebanese army to concentrate on disarming Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group.
Western governments have repeatedly called for Hezbollah to disarm. The issue is a central element of the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which was designed to end a conflict that has continued alongside the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
EU mission could begin later this year
The European Union has been examining ways to reinforce Lebanon’s security forces as the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, approaches its scheduled end.
UNIFIL’s mandate is due to expire at the end of 2026, after which the force is expected to undergo a year-long drawdown and withdrawal.
Kallas said the proposed EU operation would not be intended to take UNIFIL’s place.
“The EU is not seeking to replace UNIFIL,” Kallas told reporters in Ireland after a meeting of European defense ministers.
“Our objective is to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces and the ability of the Lebanese state to provide security across its territory,” she said, adding that preparations for the mission were progressing.
An EU official told Reuters that the bloc hopes to establish the mission in mid-October, with personnel potentially deployed in late 2026 or early 2027.
Kallas did not identify the EU countries that have expressed willingness to participate.
France pushes for broader international support
France has spent several months seeking to organize an international conference focused on strengthening Lebanon’s armed forces. Paris has also proposed establishing an international force as part of efforts related to UNIFIL’s eventual departure.
The proposed EU mission comes as Western governments continue to press for a stronger role for Lebanon’s armed forces in areas previously controlled by Hezbollah.
