Report Claims Secret Israeli Base in Iraq Used for Iran-Related Operations

(MENAFN) Israel is reported to have established a covert military facility in Iraq’s desert region intended to support air operations targeting Iran, according to reports citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

The report says the installation was created shortly before the escalation of hostilities and was known to the United States. It was allegedly used as a logistics hub for Israeli air force operations and hosted special forces units, along with search-and-rescue teams prepared for potential recovery missions involving downed pilots.

According to the same reporting, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes on Iraqi troops who reportedly came close to discovering the location of the site. Iraqi military personnel were said to have been investigating suspicious activity after local reports of unusual movements in the area, including helicopter operations.

The report further claims that Iraqi forces were prevented from reaching the site after subsequent strikes, and that one Iraqi soldier was killed in an earlier incident linked to the area. Iraqi officials at the time condemned the operation, stating it had taken place without coordination or approval from Baghdad.

It was also reported that during the wider conflict, Israel offered assistance after a US fighter jet incident near Isfahan, although US forces ultimately carried out the rescue of the crew independently.

Israel’s military has declined to comment on the allegations.

The claims emerge amid heightened regional tensions following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28, which triggered retaliatory actions across the region and contributed to further instability, including disruption in key maritime routes.

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