Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
A Clandestine Footprint in the Western Desert
Israel established a secret military outpost deep in Iraq’s western desert shortly before its air campaign against Iran, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal citing U.S. officials and people familiar with the operation. The facility, described as a covert forward hub, was reportedly designed to support long-range Israeli air operations and contingency missions over Iranian territory.
The base was allegedly constructed with U.S. awareness but without Iraqi knowledge, and was positioned in a remote, sparsely populated region considered ideal for concealment and limited surveillance.
Special Forces, Logistics, and Air Support Operations
According to the report, the installation was used by Israeli special forces and search-and-rescue teams, as well as serving as a logistical staging point for the Israeli Air Force. Its purpose reportedly included preparing for scenarios in which Israeli pilots might be downed during operations conducted nearly 1,000 miles away over Iran.
The presence of the facility was never officially acknowledged by the Israel Defense Forces, which declined to comment on the claims when approached by media outlets.
Clash with Iraqi Forces and a Fatal Strike
The report further claims that Iraqi troops inadvertently approached the area after a local shepherd reported unusual helicopter activity in early March. Iraqi military units reportedly moved in to investigate what they believed was suspicious activity inside their own territory.
At that point, according to the Journal’s sources, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes against the approaching Iraqi troops, killing one soldier and injuring others, in an effort to prevent the site from being exposed.
Iraqi officials later condemned the incident and submitted a complaint to the United Nations, initially attributing responsibility to the United States. U.S. officials, however, denied any involvement in the strikes or the operation itself.
Washington’s Awareness and Regional Fallout
The report states that U.S. officials were aware of the existence of the base but were not involved in its operations. The incident reportedly strained already tense regional dynamics as Iraq launched internal investigations and continued searching the area without identifying the full extent of the activity.
Military analysts cited in the report suggested that Iraq’s vast western desert, with its remote terrain and limited population, has long been considered a strategic environment for covert military positioning and reconnaissance operations.
Hints from Israeli Military Leadership
Further context emerged from earlier remarks by Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, who referenced “extraordinary missions” carried out by special units during the period of heightened confrontation with Iran, without providing operational details.
The Wall Street Journal report ties those remarks to what it describes as a broader covert support infrastructure underpinning Israel’s long-range military activity in the region.
As of now, neither Israeli nor Iraqi authorities have publicly confirmed the existence of the base, and key operational details remain unverified beyond the reporting of sources cited in the investigation.
