Lebanese and British troops conclude Pegasus Cedar exercise — The National

A three-week joint military exercise, Pegasus Cedar 2026, involving service members of the Lebanese army and the United Kingdom, has concluded in Lebanon. The drills took place at Hammana barracks east of Beirut, The National reports.

Mock helicopter assault

The exercise involved troops from Lebanon’s elite Air Assault Regiment and the 4th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Representatives of six other countries, including the United States, Qatar and Jordan, also took part.

Its final stage was a mock assault operation. Lebanese Armed Forces helicopters flew over a valley and deployed British and Lebanese troops onto the roof of a building, from where they rehearsed an attack. According to the outlet, the exercise scenario involved simulating the elimination of a terrorist group using drones, helicopters and medium-calibre weapons.

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Cooperation between the armies

The commander of the British contingent, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Phillips, said the exercise enabled troops from the two countries to learn from each other’s experience and strengthen mutual support. The British contingent is usually based at Dhekelia Garrison in Cyprus.

The exercise was the first joint manoeuvres between Lebanon and the United Kingdom since Israel’s war in Gaza began following the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. It continued joint drills held in September 2023, which were described as the largest involving British and Lebanese troops.

The Lebanese Armed Forces depend heavily on foreign support because of limited funding and equipment. The US-backed peace process envisaged that the Lebanese army would restore state control and disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops. According to The National, this process has largely stalled, while Hezbollah rejected the agreement signed in June.