More than 10 European Union member states are willing to contribute resources and people to a new military and civilian mission to advise and train Lebanese forces, the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday.
The proposed mission stems from the EU studying ways to strengthen Lebanese forces to help free up the Lebanese army to focus on disarming the terrorist group Hezbollah.
Western countries have long called for Lebanon to disarm the Iran-backed group, and doing so is a central component of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel aimed at ending a war that has run in parallel with the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
The mandate of a UN force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, is set to expire at the end of 2026, and it is expected to begin a year-long drawdown and withdrawal.
"The EU is not seeking to replace UNIFIL," Kallas told reporters in Ireland following a gathering 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 planning is progressing well.
An EU official told Reuters that the bloc aims to establish the mission in mid-October and then deploy personnel in late 2026 or early 2027.
No details on EU countries involved
Kallas did not provide details on which EU countries would be involved.
France has been trying for several months to organize an international conference to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces, and it also proposed creating an international force as part of efforts to replace UNIFIL.
A senior Western diplomat told Reuters on Tuesday there was limited prospect for major decisions on Lebanon's future before Israel's election in late October. The diplomat also said there was little chance of progress without any clear strengthening of the Lebanese armed forces that would enable them to move into areas previously controlled by Hezbollah.