Israel built hidden military base in Iraq: Report

TEL AVIV

Israel established a secret military base in Iraq’s desert region to support air operations against Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on May 9, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The report said Israeli forces carried out airstrikes early in the conflict on Iraqi troops who came close to discovering the site.

According to the newspaper, the outpost was built shortly before the war with the awareness of the United States and was used by Israeli special forces as a logistics hub for the Israeli air force.

Search-and-rescue teams were also reportedly stationed at the base to recover downed Israeli pilots, although no such rescue operations were ultimately needed.

The report said that after a U.S. F-15 fighter jet was downed near Isfahan, Israel offered assistance, but U.S. forces rescued the two crew members independently. Israeli forces nevertheless carried out airstrikes to help secure the mission, according to the report.

The base nearly came to light in early March after Iraqi state media reported that a shepherd had observed suspicious military activity in the area, including helicopter movements, prompting Iraqi troops to investigate.

According to the report, Israel responded with airstrikes that prevented Iraqi forces from reaching the site.

The Iraq government at the time condemned the attack, which killed an Iraqi soldier.

“This reckless operation was carried out without coordination or approval,” Qais Al-Muhammadawi, deputy commander of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, told Iraqi state media following the March incident.

Regional tensions have sharply escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering Iranian retaliation against Israel and American allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, though negotiations in Islamabad failed to produce a permanent agreement. Trump later announced an extension of the truce without setting a deadline.