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
Keir Starmer explains that UK is participating defensively in Trump and Israel’s criminal war for Israel’s genocidal expansion in Iran and states that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
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People gather during a memorial ceremony held in front of City Theater for students killed in US and Israeli attacks in Minab, Hormozgan province on February 28, in Tehran, Iran on April 6, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]
Iran said Sunday that 942 schools have been damaged in US-Israeli attacks across the country since Feb. 28, Anadolu reports.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told a press conference that the damaged buildings will need between two and three months to be rebuilt.
The US-Israeli assault also destroyed 125,640 civilian units, including 100,000 homes, 20,500 shops, and 339 health centers, she added.
Mohajerani indicated that rebuilding the damaged civilian units is expected to take between three and 24 months.
She noted that citizens whose homes were damaged in the attacks can take advantage of housing loan opportunities to rebuild their units.
More than 3,000 people have been killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran since Feb. 28. Tehran launched retaliatory strikes on Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Gulf countries hosting US military assets before a two-week ceasefire was announced earlier this week.
Iranian and US delegations concluded 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, early Sunday without reaching an agreement.
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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
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The Global Sumud Flotilla, formed to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, deliver humanitarian aid and raise global awareness about the enclave, is setting sail from Barcelona again after a year, this time with nearly double the participation, Anadolu reports.
The Barcelona-based flotilla, which last sailed in September with 42 boats and 462 people, will depart April 12 with almost double the scale — 70 boats and nearly 1,000 volunteers from 70 countries.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, formed to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, deliver humanitarian aid and raise global awareness about the enclave, is setting sail from Barcelona again after a year, this time with nearly double the participation, Anadolu reports.
Created in 2025 by NGO representatives, activists and volunteers from various countries, the flotilla is launching its second mission to Gaza.
It is notable that the largest participation in the fleet, which departs from different points across the Mediterranean, again comes from Spain.
The Barcelona-based flotilla, which last sailed in September with 42 boats and 462 people, will depart April 12 with almost double the scale — 70 boats and nearly 1,000 volunteers from 70 countries.
One of the flotilla’s spokespersons, Pablo Castilla, stated that the main goal of the initiative is “to condemn international complicity in what is happening in Gaza, demand accountability, and open a humanitarian corridor by sea and land.”
Castilla expressed concern that international attention on Gaza has declined due to US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Israel’s actions in Lebanon. “Israel has intensified the blockade on Gaza, restricted aid entry, expanded settlements, and accelerated land confiscation,” he said.
Other organizers emphasized that they are acting within the law and that the mission is being coordinated with Palestinian civil society organizations, legal experts, politicians and specialists in maritime security and media strategy.
This year, the participation of well-known NGOs such as Greenpeace and Open Arms, along with increased support from the Barcelona municipality, stands out.
During the flotilla’s previous attempt in September, Israeli forces stopped the vessels in what organizers described as an unlawful intervention, boarded them, detained volunteers and took them to Israel.
Israeli naval forces initially boarded several boats about 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast, cutting communications and blocking signals.
They also used drones to interfere, disrupting emergency signals and live broadcasts of the boarding.
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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
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An Iranian resident follows developments regarding the talks through news channels as talks between the United States and Iran have begun in Islamabad, Pakistan on April 11, 2026, in the capital Tehran, Iran. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]
Israeli ministers on Sunday hinted at a possible resumption of attacks on Iran, with Energy Minister Eli Cohen saying that Tehran could be hit if no agreement is reached, Anadolu reports.
“The nuclear issue is international, and it’s good that (US President Donald) Trump has set the red lines on the issue,” Cohen told the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
“If there is no deal, Iran can be hit,” he added.
Regarding Lebanon, where the Israeli army has expanded its attacks, Cohen said Israel should not only strike army forces, but also Lebanon’s facilities and infrastructure.
“I have said this in the cabinet. I do not see a high chance of success for these negotiations,” he said, as Tel Aviv and Beirut agreed to hold their first meeting in Washington on April 14 aimed at securing a ceasefire and launching direct talks.
In an interview with Channel 14, Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat claimed that the US would achieve its objectives from the war with Iran.
“The Iranian officials do not understand the determination of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he argued. “We will return to war and achieve its objectives.”
In a post on the US social media company X, Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zoha said that Washington’s “insistence on preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons reflects coordination with Israel,” claiming they would prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
More than 3,300 people have been killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran since Feb. 28. Tehran launched retaliatory strikes on Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Gulf countries hosting US military assets before a two-week ceasefire was announced earlier this week.
Iranian and US delegations concluded 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, early Sunday without reaching an agreement.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
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Domestically produced tanks and missiles are put on display in Tehran, Iran on March 25, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency.]
US intelligence suggests China may supply Iran with new air defense systems in the coming weeks, even as a delicate ceasefire with Washington remains in place, CNN reported on Saturday citing sources familiar with recent assessments, Anadolu reports.
The report claimed that Iran may be taking advantage of the ceasefire to restock certain weapons systems, with assistance from key international partners.
According to the report, there are signs that Beijing is attempting to channel these shipments through third countries to conceal their true origin.
The systems in question are shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, known as MANPADS.
These weapons posed an asymmetric threat to low-flying US military aircraft during the five-week conflict and could do so again if the ceasefire collapses.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said: “China has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict; the information in question is untrue.”
“As a responsible major country, China consistently fulfills its international obligations. We urge the US side to refrain from making baseless allegations, maliciously drawing connections, and engaging in sensationalism; we hope that relevant parties will do more to help de-escalate tensions.”
A two-week ceasefire took effect on Wednesday, after weeks of fighting since Feb. 28, when the US and Israel initiated war on Iran.
Nearly 3,000 Iranians have been killed according to the country’s authorities, while the conflict also left at least 13 US servicemen dead and dozens of others wounded, and disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil shipping.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
