Iraqi officials identified two Israeli-operated outposts in the western desert. Preparations for one base began in late 2024.
9:09 AM
Israel has been operating two covert military bases in Iraq's western desert for more than a year in advance of the US-Israel war on Iran, The New York Times reported Sunday.
Iraqi officials, including a lawmaker and a regional official, identified the two Israeli-operated outposts in Iraq's western desert, according to the report. Israeli forces had been preparing to build one of the makeshift sites since late 2024, the newspaper said, citing a regional official.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that prior to the armed conflict with Iran, Israel deployed a covert military base to Iraq that served as a logistics hub for its air force. Special operations forces and search and rescue teams were also stationed at the facility in case Israeli aircraft were shot down during combat operations.
The presence of the bases has raised questions about the knowledge and involvement of the U.S. government. Washington may have concealed from Baghdad the presence of troops from a third country on its territory, The New York Times noted, adding that revealing this information could jeopardize U.S. influence in the country.
Iraqi troops conducted remote surveillance of at least one of the bases, according to the report. Army forces launched an investigative operation in the Nukhaib desert, southwest of Karbala and Najaf, on Sunday, May 17, 2026, following reports of the unauthorized Israeli military presence in the area.
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