Israel FM urges US to end UNIFIL mission in Lebanon

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has failed in its mission to prevent Hezbollah's military buildup south of the Litani River, Israel Hayom newspaper said Tuesday.

In his letter to Rubio, Sa'ar called for the immediate termination of UNIFIL's operations in south Lebanon.

"The force has failed in its fundamental task – to prevent Hezbollah's deployment south of the Litani River," Sa'ar said, according to the Israeli daily.

The United Nations Security Council began to debate Monday a resolution drafted by France to extend the U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon for a year with the ultimate aim to withdraw it.

Israel and the United States have reportedly opposed the renewal of the force's mandate.