Last week, UNIFIL's Maritime Task Force (MTF) signed a new operational framework with the Lebanese Armed Forces Navy (LAF-Navy) outlining cooperation for 2026, with the LAF-Navy assuming greater responsibility for securing Lebanese territorial waters.

MTF Commander Rear Admiral Stephan Plath signed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) with LAF-Navy Commander Rear Admiral Mustapha El Aly at the Beirut Naval Base on 23 December. The operational guidelines outlined in the SOP detail the procedures for monitoring and surveilling Lebanese territorial waters and enforcing security.

With the UNIFIL mission coming to an end in 2026, and as part of the new understanding, the MTF will gradually transition from actively pursuing maritime security tasks to playing a role as advisor, mentor, and observer. “For the next year, the MTF will continue training, advising and mentoring LAF-Navy for achieving full operational capability,” said Rear Admiral Plath.

As part of the transition, the LAF-Navy will increase the embedding of units into the joint structures of the MTF and the LAF-Navy, subject to the operational readiness of the both naval units.

Rear Admiral El Aly expressed gratitude for “the enduring cooperation” between MTF and LAF. “The support provided to Jounieh Naval School is a prime example of cooperation and assistance to LAF-Navy capacity building,” he added.

In addition to their daily operational activities in the Lebanese territorial waters, UNIFIL’s naval peacekeepers also deliver classroom instruction and hands-on training sessions for LAF-Navy personnel in the Jounieh School daily.

The UNIFIL-MTF, which has been deployed since October 2006 in direct connection with Security Council Resolution 1701 at the request of the Lebanese government, supports the LAF-Navy in monitoring Lebanese territorial waters, securing the Lebanese coast, and preventing the unauthorized import of weapons or related material into Lebanon by sea. Another important aspect of the MTF's mission is to provide support and training for the development of Lebanon's naval forces so that they can effectively patrol the 110 nautical miles of Lebanese coastline. 

With the UNIFIL mission set to expire next year, the new agreement aims to enable the LAF-Navy to conduct all relevant maritime tasks.

The UNIFIL MTF is the first naval task force ever to participate in a United Nations peacekeeping mission.