🚨 Loading... Read More

Iraqi parliament ‘to summon defence minister’ over alleged secret Israeli base

Political Leaning Analysis
Left Center Right
Score: -0.19Center / Neutral




Iraqi parliament ‘to summon defence minister’ over alleged secret Israeli base





Submitted by
MEE staff
on
Sun, 05/10/2026 - 16:18






Reports that a covert desert outpost supported Israeli operations against Iran have sparked anger in Iraq


Iraqi forces take part in a security operation searching for infiltrators west of the central city of Najaf, in the desert stretching to the Saudi border, on 22 February 2026 (Ali Najafi/AFP)
Off
Iraq’s parliament is set to summon the defence and interior ministers following reports that Israel established a secret military post inside the country during the war on Iran, according to The New Arab.

A parliamentary official said senior security figures would also be questioned to establish the truth behind the alleged Israeli base.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Israel set up a covert outpost in Iraq’s western desert during the conflict with Iran. The site was reportedly used to support air operations and housed special forces units.

According to the report, installations were built shortly before the war began in February and were later used during an attack in March on Iraqi troops who had nearly uncovered the site.

Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on Sunday that the Israeli military deployed rescue teams and commando units to the forward position, tasked with extracting downed air crews from inside Iran if necessary.

Open-source intelligence platform Faytuks Network published satellite imagery taken in March that appeared to show a makeshift airstrip on a dried lakebed in Iraq’s western desert. Aircraft and temporary structures were reportedly visible at the site.

On 4 March, Iraqi media reported that a soldier was killed during clashes with an unidentified foreign force in the desert between Najaf and Karbala.

Iraqi troops had been dispatched to investigate reports of a military airdrop involving several helicopters in the area.

The Faytuks Network Intelligence & Geo-Intelligence Teams have located an Israeli airstrip used to support combat operations against Iran in the Najaf Desert of southern Iraq. When an Iraqi military convoy approached, the Israeli Air Force attacked it, causing casualties and the…
— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) May 10, 2026

The parliamentary official told The New Arab that Iraqi authorities initially believed the force was American and operating under the umbrella of the international coalition.

Security sources told several Arab media outlets that there was currently no Israeli presence at the site.

The reports have sparked anger across Iraq, with growing calls for explanations and accountability from the government.

Iraqi MP Raed al-Maliki accused the US of handing Iraqi airspace to Israel during the war.

"The United States handed Iraqi airspace to the entity during the war and ordered radar systems to be shut down. Now it has become clear that Iraqi territory was also used to establish a secret intelligence centre or base for the Zionist entity,” he said.

The Iraqi government has not officially commented on the reports.

War on Iran







News

Post Date Override
0


Update Date
Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19



Update Date Override
0




Story Timeline

Wed 23:08 - ANSA Main
Lillo in Sanremo
Sat 01:19 - ANSA Main
Sanremo 2026, the evening of covers
Mon 02:00 - La Repubblica (IT)
Sal Da Vinci's popular miracle
Wed 16:41 - The Telegraph
Water wars: the final escalation?
Thu 01:18 - Middle East Eye
Trump vows to bring Iran back to 'Stone Ages'
Thu 03:01 - Al-Monitor
Takeaways from Trump's speech on Iran
Sun 05:07 - Al Jazeera English
Trump’s unpopular war on Iran
Mon 16:39 - The Hill
Trump’s Iran ultimatum nears
Mon 21:45 - The Hill
Trump's looming deadline for Iran
Wed 12:00 - UN News All
Hundreds feared dead in Lebanon strikes
Wed 15:01 - Al Jazeera English
Israel strikes central Beirut without warning
Wed 21:59 - Al Jazeera English
Americans question Trump’s instinct on Iran war
Thu 00:55 - Middle East Eye
Syria condemns Israeli assault on Lebanon
Thu 05:19 - Middle East Eye
Israel renews attacks on southern Lebanon
Thu 12:59 - Middle East Eye
Lebanon calls for direct talks with Israel
Fri 11:00 - Al-Monitor
Giving birth in a shelter in Israel
Tue 11:48 - Al Jazeera English
Who controls the Strait of Hormuz?
Tue 15:45 - Aftenposten (NO)
Trump opens for early talks with Iran
Tue 15:54 - Financial Times
Trump says Meloni lacks courage
Tue 17:58 - Tagesschau
Trump calls Meloni "unacceptable"
Tue 22:57 - National Review
Trump vs. the Pope
Wed 03:40 - TVN24 (PL)
Trump 'shocked' by Meloni's behavior
Wed 13:32 - Washington Examiner
Trump says China agreed not to send weapons to Iran
Sat 10:48 - Al Jazeera English
Hormuz: Spin in the Strait
Sat 10:48 - Al Jazeera
Hormuz: Spin in the Strait
Sat 11:55 - Al Jazeera English
Gunfire reported by vessel in Strait of Hormuz
Mon 15:41 - Washington Examiner
Trump denies Israel pushed US into war with Iran
Tue 04:47 - Middle East Eye
Trump attacks US media over Iran war coverage
Fri 13:03 - Al Jazeera English
Negotiations that enable Israel’s land-grabs
Sat 10:50 - SvD (SE)
Israel releases Swedish activist

Different Perspectives

ANSA Main
54 articles
ANSA Mondo
11 articles
ANSA Politica
7 articles
ANSA Top News
18 articles
Aftenposten (NO)
5 articles
Al Jazeera
6 articles
Al Jazeera English
145 articles
Al-Monitor
160 articles
BBC Europe
2 articles
BBC Headlines
25 articles
BBC Politics
4 articles
DN (SE)
5 articles
DW
2 articles
DW All
29 articles
DW Top
29 articles
DW World
6 articles
Der Spiegel
3 articles
Die Welt
11 articles
Die Zeit Newsfeed
1 article
El Mundo (ES)
5 articles
El Pais
5 articles
Euronews
64 articles
Financial Times
3 articles
Fox News
50 articles
France 24
71 articles
Gazeta Wyborcza (PL)
1 article
HLN (BE)
4 articles
Handelsblatt Politik
4 articles
La Libre (BE)
2 articles
La Repubblica (IT)
85 articles
Le Figaro
3 articles
Le Monde
1 article
Middle East Eye
253 articles
NPR
10 articles
NRK (NO)
3 articles
NYT Europe
2 articles
National Review
1 article
PBS Newshour
14 articles
Politico EU
18 articles
Rzeczpospolita (PL)
1 article
SRF International
1 article
SVT Nyheter (SE)
3 articles
Sky News (UK)
5 articles
SvD (SE)
2 articles
Süddeutsche Zeitung Politik
3 articles
TVN24 (PL)
1 article
Tagesschau
8 articles
The Bulletin (BE)
1 article
The Guardian
13 articles
The Hill
80 articles
The Telegraph
2 articles
UN News All
9 articles
UN News Global
4 articles
UN News Middle East
3 articles
Washington Examiner
54 articles
Washington Post
13 articles
n-tv Politik
5 articles