- Israel established a military base in the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign against Iran
- The installation housed Israeli special forces and functioned as a logistical hub for the Israeli air force
- Being vast and almost non-populated, the western Iraqi desert is an ideal spot for covert military activity
In Iraq, a local shepherd noticed something unusual. Helicopters were flying low. Strange activity was stirring in a remote stretch of the western desert. What he could not have known was that he had stumbled upon a secret base that Israel had built to aid its war against Iran.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, Israel established a military base in the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign against Iran. The base was set up just before the conflict began. The US knew about it, but Iraq didn't.
The installation housed Israeli special forces and functioned as a logistical hub for the Israeli air force. Search-and-rescue teams were also stationed there, ready to respond quickly if any Israeli pilots were shot down over enemy territory.
Iran sits roughly 1,000 miles from Israeli territory, the base considerably reduced that distance, making sustaining long-term air operations easier for Tel Aviv.
The Secret Was Close To Getting Out
In early March, the operation came dangerously close to being exposed. Iraqi state media reported that a shepherd had flagged unusual military activity in the area. The Iraqi military dispatched troops to investigate. To prevent them from reaching the site, Israel carried out airstrikes that left one soldier dead and two injured. Iraq sent two more units to search the area, and they came back with evidence confirming that military forces had recently been present there.
After confirmation of a secret Israeli base, a senior Iraqi military official, Lieutenant General Qais Al-Muhammadawi, deputy commander of the Joint Operations Command, told Iraqi state media, "This reckless operation was carried out without coordination or approval. It appears there was a certain force on the ground before the strike, supported from the air, operating beyond the capabilities of our units."
Iraq later filed a formal complaint with the United Nations, attributing the attack to the United States. However, a US official told The Wall Street Journal that the US had no involvement in that particular strike.
Being vast and almost non-populated, the western Iraqi desert is an ideal spot for covert military activity. During operations against Saddam Hussein in 1991 and 2003, US forces also used the same region.
