US Report: Israel Secretly Builds Military Base in Iraqi Desert for Strikes on Iran

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on March 29 that Israel, with U.S. knowledge, built a secret military base deep in the Iraqi desert to support airstrikes against Iran in the period before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran erupted. The base is believed to house special forces, serve as a logistics hub for the Israeli air force, and include a search-and-rescue team ready to assist downed Israeli pilots.

WSJ cited open-source intelligence indicating the suspected base location is near Iraq's border with Saudi Arabia, identified through satellite imagery. Analysts say the site's sparse population and vast area make it ideal for a covert facility.

Discovery and Iraqi Reactions

On March 27, Iraqi Joint Operations Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Qais al-Muhammadawi confirmed that Baghdad had received reports of 'individuals or movements' in the Najaf desert near Karbala, about 100 kilometers southwest of Baghdad. He said a force of three regiments from the Karbala Operations Command was deployed to investigate and came under heavy aerial attack, killing one fighter and wounding two. Iraq then reinforced with two counterterrorism regiments but found nothing.

Earlier in March, former Israeli air force chief Major General Tomer Bar said Israeli special forces had conducted 'extraordinary' operations in the conflict with Iran, without specifying locations. Al Jazeera correspondent Mahmoud Abdelwahed in Baghdad reported that a local shepherd spotted helicopters in the area in March and was later killed when his vehicle was targeted by Israel.

Iraqi reactions have been mixed. On March 28, before the base story broke, al-Muhammadawi said 'there is no agreement or permission for any force to be present at this site.' By late March, Baghdad had sent a formal protest to the U.S. over the suspected covert military activity, calling it a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. U.S. officials denied any involvement.

On March 30, an anonymous senior Iraqi security official dismissed the report as 'untrue.' On March 31, Iraqi forces declared no foreign forces were operating illegally on their territory, but a lawmaker from the Badr Organization said a joint 'U.S.-Israeli' military base exists in western Iraq. An anonymous senior official in the office of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani told The New Arab that the covert operation occurred 'with U.S. support and under a U.S. cover,' accusing 'Iraq of being deceived by the U.S.'

On April 1, the Iraqi Karbala Operations commander told Al Jazeera that a group of Israeli soldiers was detected in the Najaf desert in March but stayed less than 48 hours.

Iranian and Israeli Responses

On March 31, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran 'does not rule out any possibility regarding the Israeli regime' and will raise the matter with the Iraqi government. He accused Israel of 'not respecting any red lines' to sow discord in the region and attack Iran.

Israel has not officially commented, though state broadcaster Kan previously reported that the presence of an Israeli military base in the Iraqi desert was known to Arab parties.

Regional Context

Iraq is caught between the U.S. and Iran as regional tensions escalate. Washington has demanded Baghdad disarm Iran-linked armed groups, and in March launched airstrikes against the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a pro-Iran paramilitary group integrated into Iraq's regular military, following attacks on a U.S. diplomatic hub at Baghdad airport. Pro-Iran armed groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq.

Analysts say the discovery of the secret base exposes Baghdad's dilemma, raising the question of whether Iraq could become a hidden regional battlefield in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Al Jazeera's Abdelwahed observed that such reports suggest Iraqi territory may have been used as a secret military front, revealing major sovereignty and security gaps at a time of Middle East turmoil.