Abagnara, an Italian officer, told Reuters from a UNIFIL‑run position near Mansouri that the force must coordinate closely with the UN country team and the Lebanese army to transfer its duties, especially in areas now under Israeli control.

UNIFIL, which has monitored hostilities in southern Lebanon for almost five decades, has taken on additional tasks since the war that erupted in March between Israel and the Iran‑backed Hezbollah, including escorting humanitarian aid convoys to a cluster of predominantly Christian towns surrounded by Israeli troops.

The conflict has forced many residents of southern Lebanon to flee after Israeli strikes and evacuation orders, while UNIFIL continues to provide “eyes and ears” on the ground, a capability diplomats fear will be lost when the force withdraws.

The United Nations Security Council has ordered UNIFIL to begin its withdrawal at the end of 2026, prompting concerns about the continuity of aid deliveries and the hand‑over of more than half of the force’s posts that lie within zones now controlled by Israeli forces.

Abagnara acknowledged that handing over those posts to the Lebanese army will be “very difficult,” but said UNIFIL is already sharing information on “sensitive areas” and working to ensure humanitarian assistance can continue in Israeli‑occupied zones.

He also condemned recent demolitions in Mansouri, describing them as “another violation” of UN Security Council resolutions, while the Israeli military said the work targets Hezbollah infrastructure.

With a U.S.‑backed plan to disarm Hezbollah and hand control of the south to the Lebanese army stalled, regional diplomats are scrambling to fill the anticipated security vacuum, discussing a possible extension of the UN presence or a new multinational mission, though no new Security Council mandate has been decided.

Abagnara said an extension would be “a great honour,” but without a fresh resolution the force will have to cease operations by the end of 2026, underscoring his view that the UN’s presence in southern Lebanon is “more now than ever.”