BAGHDAD, — May 17, 2026 : Israel secretly operated at least two covert military bases in Iraq’s western desert to support operations against Iran, according to reports published by The New York Times and previously by The Wall Street Journal, citing senior Iraqi and regional security officials.
According to Iraqi officials, one of the bases was established in western Iraq at the end of 2024 to prepare for possible future strikes on Iran and was later used extensively during the June 2025 Israel-Iran conflict, referred to in some reports as Operation Rising Lion. Officials stated that the installation proved “very useful” during the fighting by reducing flight distances for Israeli aircraft conducting missions against targets inside Iran.
The bases reportedly functioned as logistical and operational hubs for the Israeli Air Force, providing refueling support, medical treatment facilities, staging areas for special forces, and search-and-rescue capabilities for downed aircrews. Iraqi security officials said the facilities enabled Israeli aircraft to operate more efficiently by shortening transit routes between Israel and Iranian targets.
Regional security sources said the first installation was located near Al-Nukhaib in Iraq’s western desert region, while a second base was also confirmed by Iraqi officials. Open-source satellite imagery dated March 8 reportedly showed a 1.6-kilometre airstrip carved into a dry lakebed in the Anbar-Najaf desert, approximately 180 kilometres southwest of Najaf and Karbala.
Iraqi officials stated that preparations for at least one of the sites began in late 2024, before the June 2025 conflict. The second base reportedly predated the later regional escalation involving the United States, Israel and Iran in early 2026 and remained operational during subsequent hostilities.
According to Iraqi security officials, the United States was aware of at least one of the installations by the summer of 2025. Officials further alleged that Washington instructed Iraq to switch off national radar systems during both the June 2025 war and the later conflict in February 2026. Iraqi officials said the United States explained the measure as necessary to protect American aircraft operating in the region.
The reported radar shutdowns effectively limited Iraq’s ability to independently monitor its airspace during the conflicts. Iraqi military and intelligence officials said they had long suspected the existence of covert Israeli activity inside Iraqi territory and had repeatedly requested clarification from the United States regarding unusual operations in remote desert areas, but received no response.
The reports have renewed debate in Baghdad over Iraqi sovereignty and the implementation of the 2008 U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement, which prohibits Iraqi territory from being used as a launch point for attacks against other countries.
The secrecy surrounding one of the bases reportedly began to unravel on March 3, 2026, when a 29-year-old Bedouin shepherd identified as Awad Al-Shammari discovered the installation while travelling through the desert near Al-Nukhaib. According to Iraqi officials, Al-Shammari observed helicopters, tents, military personnel and an airstrip before contacting Iraqi military authorities to report the location.
Officials stated that shortly after making the report, Al-Shammari’s vehicle was pursued and fired upon by a helicopter. His burned vehicle and remains were later found by relatives two days after the incident.
Following the report, Iraqi military authorities dispatched a reconnaissance convoy toward the area. Iraqi officials said the unit came under aerial fire while approaching the site, resulting in the death of one Iraqi soldier, injuries to two others, and the destruction of two military vehicles before the force withdrew.
The revelations have triggered political criticism inside Iraq, with lawmakers demanding investigations into the security breach and the presence of unauthorized foreign military infrastructure on Iraqi territory. Iraqi Member of Parliament Raed Al-Maliki accused the United States of facilitating the operations through the radar shutdown directives and described the incident as a serious violation of national sovereignty.
The issue also presents an early challenge for newly appointed Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, who took office in mid-May and pledged to enforce the Strategic Framework Agreement and prevent Iraq from being used as a platform for regional military conflicts.
Iraq’s parliamentary Security and Defense Committee has since summoned senior military and intelligence officials for questioning regarding the foreign military activity in the western desert.
The Israeli military has not publicly commented on the reports. Iraqi authorities have previously condemned unauthorized foreign military operations conducted within Iraqi territory.
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