A Lebanese newspaper says the United Kingdom has asked Beirut for permission to use Lebanese airspace for Royal Air Force training flights operating out of Cyprus.
According to Al‑Akhbar, which cites senior Lebanese sources, the request concerns RAF fighter jets based at the Akrotiri air base. The aircraft would depart from and return to Cyprus, passing through the airspace of several countries, including Lebanon and Syria. No dates for the exercises have been set.
The report notes that the request comes amid heightened regional tension linked to Iran. It also recalls that the U.S. Embassy in Beirut evacuated more than 30 diplomatic staff earlier in the week.
The Lebanese sources quoted by the paper did not rule out a connection between the British request and the broader regional security climate.