Resolution 1701
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted August 2006 to end the Second Lebanon War. Required Israeli withdrawal south of the Blue Line and Hezbollah disarmament north of the Litani River. Never fully implemented; its framework collapsed during the 2026 Israeli ground campaign.
Last refreshed: 29 March 2026
Can a resolution survive when both parties ignore it?
Latest on Resolution 1701
- What is UN Resolution 1701?
- UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted 11 August 2006, ended the Second Lebanon War. It mandated a Ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal south of the Blue Line, Hezbollah disarmament north of the Litani River, and expanded UNIFIL to up to 15,000 troops. It was never fully implemented.
- Was Resolution 1701 violated in 2026?
- Yes. Israel deployed additional armoured forces to southern Lebanon, declared permanent intent to hold territory south of the Litani, and ordered village demolitions. These actions directly violated the resolution's withdrawal requirements, which Israel treated as unenforceable given Hezbollah's prior non-compliance.
- What did Resolution 1701 require of Israel and Hezbollah?
- Israel was required to withdraw south of the Blue Line. Hezbollah was required to disarm and relocate north of the Litani River. UNIFIL was expanded to monitor compliance. Neither requirement was fully met: Hezbollah kept weapons south of the Litani; Israel conducted periodic military operations in the zone.
- Why did Resolution 1701 fail?
- It relied on voluntary compliance with no enforcement mechanism. Hezbollah retained weapons and rebuilt capacity south of the Litani. Israel periodically violated the buffer zone. UNIFIL lacked authority to compel either party. By 2026, Israeli forces were operating permanently in territory the resolution designated as a withdrawal zone.
- What is the Litani River line in Lebanese security?
- The Litani River in southern Lebanon was designated by Resolution 1701 as the northern boundary of the buffer zone from which both Israeli forces and Hezbollah armed units were to be excluded. It became the de facto boundary of Israeli territorial claims in the 2026 conflict.
Background
Resolution 1701 was adopted on 11 August 2006 to end the Second Lebanon War. It mandated a Ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal south of the Blue Line, and required Hezbollah to disarm and relocate north of the Litani River. UNIFIL's mandate was expanded to up to 15,000 troops. Neither requirement was fully met from the outset.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 was invoked again in March 2026 as Israel seized territory south of the Litani and declared permanent intent to hold it. The IDF deployed its 36th Armoured Division to southern Lebanon, doubling ground forces in a zone the resolution required to be free of non-Lebanese armed actors. Israel's defence minister ordered village demolitions on a Gaza model as Lebanon's death toll reached 1,029.
By 2026 the framework had collapsed. Israeli commanders, reportedly fearing a settlement before decisive victory, pressed for territorial consolidation rendering 1701's withdrawal requirements moot. The resolution survived on paper as a reference for condemnation but lacked any mechanism capable of compelling compliance.
