Security Council renews UN mandate of interim force in Lebanon for 1 year

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN Security Council on Wednesday extended a mandate for UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for one year.

The resolution, penned by the France, called for renewing the mandate for a 12-month period until Aug. 31, 2025.

It garnered an overwhelming support in the council, with all 15 member states voting in favor.

Nathalie Broadhurst, deputy permanent representative of France to the UN, told the Council before the vote that the renewal of the mandate is proposed "at a time when the Blue Helmets are in the line of fire, and they are doing remarkable job in extremely testing circumstances."

Broadhurst said the resolution calls for ending of hostilities, and asks all parties to "take immediate steps to work towards de-escalation throughout the process."

Tensions have risen along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv presses ahead with its deadly offensive against the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 40,500 victims since October following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.