Lebanon: Starmer orders British drone to circle region

The UK military has told the Canary that British war drone circled Lebanon for 13 hours on 8 April 2026 was not there. This is despite is being visible on an aircraft tracking platform. The Cyprus-launched aircraft circled a key battlefield in Israel’s current air and ground assault on Lebanon. It was there despite the UK calling for a ceasefire.

Journalist Matt Kennard, who originally spotted the aircraft, reported that 18 people had been killed in Baalbek, in Lebanon’s east, at time of the flight:

🚨Keir Starmer sent a MQ-9 Reaper drone over Lebanon for 13 hours yesterday

Departing from RAF Akrotiri, it flew in circles near Baalbek. At same time, Israeli strikes killed 18 people in area

Starmer flew intel flights over Gaza for Israel. Is this part of same arrangement? pic.twitter.com/WShUvyvQ62

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) April 9, 2026

The Canary understands the aircraft may be Protector drone, which was meant to supersede the Royal Air Force’s Reaper drones. However UK NGO Drone Wars said in 2025 that Reaper’s lifespan had been extended.

Drone Wars later responded to our article with this interesting detail:

Won't have been a Reaper but likely Protector. Protector is 'in service' but not 'operational' yet as it hasn't been certified to launch munitions, so MoD is playing with words

— Drone Wars (@Drone_Wars_UK) April 10, 2026

The Reaper drone and Protector drone can carry lethal munitions. RAF Akrotiri is one of two UK colonial bases in Cyprus. The Canary recently reported on efforts by local anti-genocide activists to reclaim Cypriot sovereignty.

🚨Video of British MQ-9 Reaper drone flying over east Lebanon yesterday as Israeli strikes hit the area

The Reaper drone is weaponised and can drop Paveway II 500-pound bombs pic.twitter.com/Mmsv1NH38w

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) April 9, 2026

And a British Reaper or Protector also overflew Lebanon on 9 April:

The same British Reaper drone flew over same area of Lebanon for 10 hours today (April 9) pic.twitter.com/XMDzDJptze

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) April 9, 2026

The Canary asked the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) for more details about why a British military aircraft was over Lebanon during the Israeli assault.

MOD communications officer Luc Wilson told us:

The aircraft in question was not conducting operations over Lebanon.

‘Operations’? It was a military drone out on annual leave, was it?

Israel is currently attempting to cut off southern Lebanon by force. Israel’s intention has long been to colonise the region entirely.

The UK flew crewed spy flights over Gaza throughout the first years of the genocide. These also originated in Cyprus. After those spy flights ended, it emerged that the UK government had decided to replace them with drone flights.

Still hitting Lebanon

The Canary reported on 22 November 2025:

The Genocide-Free Cyprus (CFG) group has uncovered details of an extensive new mission involving the use of Reaper long-endurance drones – designated Protector RG1 for the RAF – that are already preparing for what is evidently a new surveillance mission over Gaza, with the drones already operating close to the Gaza coast.

Israeli is still hitting the region despite claiming to be on-board with ceasefire plans:

💢 Israeli warplanes and drones carried out a wave of strikes across southern Lebanon on Friday evening, hitting multiple towns and civilian areas, according to Lebanon’s state news agency and reporting from L’Orient Today.

➤ Airstrikes hit Kfar Dounin (Nabatieh), a home in… https://t.co/M09nl1dlvE

— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) April 10, 2026

In theory, Hezbollah breached a US-brokered ‘ceasefire’ with Israel in early March which had held up since their last war in 2024. In practice, the US gave Israel carte blanche to strike Lebanon, which it has done constantly since the deal was struck. During the intervening period, Israel attacked southern Lebanon about 15,400 times.

Far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich said on 23 March that the current war:

needs to end with a different reality entirely, both with the Hezbollah decision but also with the change of Israel’s borders.

I say here definitively…in every room and in every discussion, too: the new Israeli border must be the Litani.

Keir Starmer has questions to answer about why a British military asset is operating over Lebanon. The British tried to excuse their Gaza overflight as part of hostage search and rescue operations. No such explanation will hold water for these Lebanon excursions.

And, Starmer’s mealy-mouthed calls for Israel to cease firing on Lebanon are clearly worth less than nothing.

Featured image via Matt Kennard