The key facts
- The Operation Pegasus Cedar 2026 exercise took place at the Hamman base east of Beirut and concluded with a simulated helicopter assault
- Participants included Lebanon's elite Air Assault Regiment and the British 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, with eight countries in total, including the US, Qatar and Jordan
- The exercise comes against the backdrop of the task of disarming Hezbollah and a stalled peace process
Conclusion of the exercise
Lebanese and British troops have concluded the three-week joint exercise Operation Pegasus Cedar 2026, aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two armies. The drill took place at the Hamman base east of Beirut; The National was given access to the exercise. It concluded with a simulated attack: Lebanese army helicopters landed British and Lebanese soldiers on the roof of a building for an assault. The manoeuvres were observed by the chief of staff of the Lebanese army, Major General Hassan Audi, the second most senior officer of the army.
Participants and context
The exercise involved soldiers from Lebanon's elite Air Assault Regiment and the British 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, usually based at the Dhekelia garrison in Cyprus. In total, six more countries were involved, including the US, Qatar and Jordan. The British army commander, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Phillips, called the exercise an opportunity for the armies to learn from each other and stressed the importance of a relationship of mutual support and the development of professionalism. The exercise continued the joint manoeuvres of September 2023, described as the largest between the United Kingdom and Lebanon, and became the first joint exercise of the two countries since the start of Israel's war in Gaza following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks.
Background: Hezbollah disarmament and the peace process
According to The National, the exercise comes at a key moment for the Lebanese army, which has been given the difficult task of disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah and extending state control over the entire country. The task is complicated by the Israeli occupation of part of southern Lebanon and the bombing of the country. Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged strikes; Israeli troops occupy a significant part of southern Lebanon, where residents have been ordered to leave areas and villages have been demolished. The US-backed peace process envisaged the restoration of Lebanese army control and the disarmament of Hezbollah in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops, but it has, according to the publication, largely stalled. Hezbollah, which did not take part in signing the agreement in June, rejected it. The Lebanese army, which is respected in the country, is poorly funded and equipped and relies heavily on foreign aid.
