A secret Israeli base in Iraq? What we know

"Israel built a secretly operated military outpost deep inside the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign in the run-up to the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, reports in US media have claimed. On Saturday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel built the installation, which housed special forces and served as a logistical hub for its air force, with the knowledge of the United States just before the start of the war on Iran. The military post also included capacity for search-and-rescue teams to assist downed Israeli pilots."

"The report added that Israeli troops launched air attacks from this base against Iraqi forces who nearly discovered it in early March. What is known so far about this base, and how significant is it? Here's what we know: Open-source analysts identified the suspected location close to Iraq's border with Saudi Arabia, from satellite images, the WSJ reported."

"On Thursday, Lieutenant-General Qais al-Muhammadawi, Iraq's deputy commander of joint operations, announced that Baghdad had received reports of individuals or movement in the Najaf desert, near Karbala, a city about 100km (62 miles) southwest of the capital, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) said. A force of three regiments from the Karbala Operations Command was deployed to investigate. The force came under heavy aerial fire, resulting in the death of one fighter and injuries to two others, he said."

"He added that, later, Iraqi forces were reinforced by two counterterrorism regiments who searched the area but found nothing. The WSJ report also cited statements made in March by Israel's former air force chief, Major-General Tomer Bar, who said special forces had been conducting extraordinary operations during the conflict with Iran. But Bar did not specify the location. Michael Knights, head of intelligence firm Horizon Engage, told the WSJ that the western desert o"

Israel built a secretly operated military outpost deep in Iraq’s desert to support its air campaign before the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. The installation reportedly housed special forces and functioned as a logistical hub for Israel’s air force, with search-and-rescue capacity for downed Israeli pilots. US media reports said the United States had knowledge of the outpost just before the war began. The outpost was reportedly used for air attacks launched by Israeli troops against Iraqi forces that nearly discovered it in early March. Open-source analysts identified a suspected location near the Iraq-Saudi border using satellite images. Iraqi officials reported movement in the Najaf desert near Karbala, deployed regiments to investigate, and later found nothing.

Read at www.aljazeera.com