Lebanon's PM calls for international force to replace UNIFIL: What to know

BEIRUT — Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is calling for an international force in Lebanon to replace the UNIFIL contingent as its term expires in December. Salam and Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji held a series of meetings with Western and Arab leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit . The premier said in a statement posted on X Tuesday, “During these meetings, I conveyed Lebanon’s priorities: the need for Israel to commit to a full withdrawal from Lebanese territory and to cease its acts of aggression; the need to strengthen the military's capabilities; efforts to ensure a continued international presence in the south as UNIFIL's mission expires; and extending state authority and ensuring that weapons remain solely under state control.” Salam said he met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani and US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).