Euronews reported this morning that German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has proposed the creation of a force under a European Union mandate in Lebanon, aimed at preventing a security vacuum after the end of the UNIFIL mission.

The future of security arrangements in southern Lebanon is moving to the forefront of international debate as the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) approaches its scheduled end at the close of 2026.

Against this backdrop, Germany is proposing discussions on establishing a European force that would prevent a security vacuum following the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers, while Lebanese-Israeli negotiations continue over the implementation of the latest security understandings.

🇩🇪 Berlin Calls for a European Mandate

In this context, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on EU member states to discuss establishing a force operating under a European mandate after UNIFIL’s mission ends.

He argued that such a force could ensure that no security vacuum emerges in southern Lebanon following the withdrawal of UN forces.

Speaking to Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Wadephul said the proposed force could create the conditions for the withdrawal of the Israeli military,

“without Hezbollah returning with its terrorism,”

in his words.

He also described the existence of a stable government in Lebanon as “one of the most encouraging developments in the region at the moment.”

But What Exactly Does Berlin Mean by a “Security Vacuum”⁉️

Does the German foreign minister mean that the vacuum should be filled by European forces?

Has southern Lebanon now become a geopolitical arena over which European powers are competing for influence — and perhaps an opportunity to revive the ghosts of their colonial past?

Mohsen Rezaei: “Without HEZBOLLAH, Israel Could have Reached Beirut”

A message from Tehran on Lebanon, Hezbollah — and the war Israel failed to win

In a special interview broadcast on Al-Manar on Thursday, August 27, Iranian senior security official Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei delivered a pointed assessment of the recent confrontation and Iran’s position toward Lebanon.

But the most significant part of his remarks was not a diplomatic formula. It was a blunt assessment of what he believes prevented Israel from pushing deeper into Lebanon:

“If Hezbollah had not entered the confrontation with Israel and inflicted heavy losses on it, Israel could have reached Beirut.”

That is more than praise for Hezbollah.

It is a strategic argument: the existence of an effective deterrent in southern Lebanon altered the cost-benefit calculation of an Israeli advance.

Rezaei also paid tribute to Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, thanking him for what he described as his leadership of the Resistance Front and his ability to fill the vacuum left by the loss of senior Hezbollah figures.

He separately praised Speaker Nabih Berri, describing him as a tireless political actor who has played an important role in Lebanon’s political arena, particularly during the recent negotiations and the memorandum of understanding with Washington.

🏗️ And What About lebanon’s Destroyed Homes?

Rezaei’s answer was short:

“The destroyed homes will be rebuilt, God willing.”

He also expressed pride in what he called the resistance of the Lebanese people, saying that he understood the scale of the difficulties facing them.

⚠️ The Bigger Message

The significance of Rezaei’s remarks lies in the combination of military deterrence + political negotiations + reconstruction.

Tehran is effectively presenting three interconnected positions:

Hezbollah’s military role is framed as a factor that prevented a deeper Israeli advance.

Lebanon’s political track is being watched closely by Iran, particularly the negotiations involving Washington.

Reconstruction is being presented as part of the post-war equation rather than as an afterthought.

And there is another message beneath the surface:

Iran is signaling that Lebanon is not merely an arena in which others negotiate Lebanon’s future.

The real question now is whether the emerging security arrangements in Lebanon will preserve the deterrence that Rezaei credits with stopping Israel — or whether external pressure will attempt to dismantle that equation first and deal with its consequences later.

For Tehran, the Lebanese battlefield and the Lebanese political battlefield remain two sides of the same strategic equation.