Turkey seeks role in Lebanon security initiative

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed interest in participating in a new security initiative for Lebanon after the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission expires at the end of 2026. The UN Security Council voted to terminate UNIFIL last year, bowing to US and Israeli demands. Erdogan made the statement during a joint press conference with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Ankara. Other countries, including France and Italy, have also voiced interest in contributing to a successor force. The visit comes amid a fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah following a war that began in March 2026. A US-mediated framework agreement on June 26 calls for Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah disarmament. Erdogan pledged support for Lebanon's post-war recovery and its armed forces, and urged dialogue between Lebanon and Syria. US President Donald Trump has proposed Syrian forces enter Lebanon to fight Hezbollah, but Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has declined.