UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council voted unanimously on Thursday to terminate the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon at the end of next year after nearly five decades, bowing to demands from the United States and its close ally Israel.

The United States, which initially demanded the force be ended in six months and later sought a one-year final extension, voted in favor of a final 16-month mandate to continue its activities near Lebanon’s UN-drawn border with Israel until Dec. 31, 2026.

The multinational peacekeeping force has played a significant role in monitoring the security situation in southern Lebanon for decades, including during the Israel-Hezbollah war last year. But it has drawn criticism from both sides and officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, wh

See Full Page