NEW YORK, May 10: Israel built a clandestine military base in the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign against Iran and launched airstrikes against Iraqi troops who nearly discovered it, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Saturday.
Citing people familiar with the matter including U.S. officials, the newspaper said Israel set up the installation, which housed special forces and served as a logistical hub for the Israeli air force, with the knowledge of the U.S. just before the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
The Israeli outpost also included search-and-rescue teams positioned to assist any downed Israeli pilots, the Journal said.
The report said that after a US F-15 fighter jet was downed near Isfahan, Israel offered assistance, but US forces rescued the two crew members independently. Israeli forces nevertheless carried out airstrikes to help secure the mission, according to the report.
The base nearly came to light in early March after Iraqi state media reported that a shepherd had observed suspicious military activity in the area, including helicopter movements, prompting Iraqi troops to investigate.
According to the report, Israel responded with airstrikes that prevented Iraqi forces from reaching the site.
Israel’s military declined to comment on the report, according to the report.
The Iraq government at the time condemned the attack, which killed an Iraqi soldier.
“This reckless operation was carried out without coordination or approval,” Qais Al-Muhammadawi, deputy commander of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, told Iraqi state media following the March incident.
Regional tensions have sharply escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering Iranian retaliation against Israel and American allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, though US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad failed to produce a permanent agreement. Trump later announced an extension of the truce without setting a deadline.
