Israel built secret desert base in Iraq to wage war on Iran: Report

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 10 May 2026 12:23 AM

Israel established a hidden military base deep in Iraq’s desert region to support its air strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to a report.

In a damning revelation exposing the depth of Israeli aggression and its blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty, The Wall Street Journalreported on Saturday that the illegal Israeli outpost was constructed shortly before the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran began on February 28, with full awareness of Washington.

The base served as a logistics hub for Israeli special forces and the Zionist air force, complete with search-and-rescue teams positioned to extract downed Israeli pilots.

The report detailed how Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Iraqi troops who had nearly uncovered the site in early March, after a local shepherd alerted authorities to suspicious helicopter activity in the remote area.

Iraqi state media had reported the incident, prompting a legitimate investigation by Iraqi security forces. In response, the Israeli regime carried out unprovoked strikes that killed an Iraqi soldier and forced the troops to retreat, preventing any exposure of Tel Aviv’s covert operations on sovereign Iraqi soil.

“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 at the time, condemning the Israeli assault as a flagrant breach of Iraq’s territorial integrity.

The WSJ further revealed that even after a US F-15 fighter jet was downed near Isfahan during the conflict, Israel offered assistance in the rescue.

Nevertheless, Israeli warplanes still conducted additional strikes under the pretext of “securing the mission,” underscoring Tel Aviv’s determination to maintain its illegal footprint inside Iraq.

This exposure comes as regional tensions remain high following the US and Israeli aggression against Iran that triggered a strong Iranian retaliation, including strikes on Israeli targets and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz in defense of national sovereignty.

A fragile ceasefire brokered by Pakistan took effect on April 8, yet negotiations in Islamabad failed to yield a permanent agreement.

US President Trump later announced an extension of the truce without a clear deadline, leaving the door open for further Zionist provocations.

The revelation of Israel’s secret base highlights the extent of the Zionist regime’s expansionist ambitions and its willingness to endanger the lives of Iraqi soldiers and destabilize the region to pursue its war on Iran.

Iraqi officials have long warned of such covert Israeli activities, which violate international law and threaten the stability of independent nations resisting foreign aggression.

Iran has consistently maintained that its defensive actions were a direct response to unprovoked attacks, and the exposure of this Iraqi base only reinforces Tehran’s position that the Zionist entity and its American backers are the primary source of instability in West Asia.