Israel reportedly set up a secret forward base in the desert of Iraq to support operations against Iran, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials.
According to the same report, Israeli forces even launched air strikes against Iraqi military units when they came dangerously close to uncovering the facility.
The base, according to that newspaper, had been built shortly before the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran, with the full knowledge of the US. Special forces were located at the facility, and it also served as a curatorial hub for the Israeli Air Force.
The report also said there were search and rescue teams at the base, ready to operate in the event of an Israeli aircraft being shot down.
Reuters notes that it was unable to independently confirm WSJ‘s information, while there was no immediate comment from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
The existence of the base was reportedly in danger of being revealed in early March. Iraqi media had reported at the time that a local shepherd saw unusual military activity and helicopter flights in the desert.
According to one of the newspaper’s sources, Iraqi forces were sent to investigate the site, but Israeli air strikes kept them away from the area, preventing the facility from being uncovered.
The Wall Street Journal also reports that Iraq later appealed to the United Nations, claiming that foreign forces were involved in the attack and attributing the operation to the US. However, a source cited by the newspaper claimed that Washington was not involved.
At the same time, tensions in the region remain in the red. Iran has threatened to strike U.S. facilities in the Middle East if attacks on Iranian oil tankers continue.
“Any attack against Iranian oil tankers and merchant ships will result in heavy retaliation against any of the U.S. centers in the region as well as enemy ships,” the naval staff of the Revolutionary Guards said.
General Majid Mousavi said, “Missiles and drones are targeting the enemy and we are waiting for the order to open fire.”
The threats were made after US strikes on two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman. According to the US armed forces, the two ships were “neutralised” via a fighter jet operation.
Tehran has denounced a “flagrant violation” of the ceasefire, while an Iranian military source claimed there was a retaliatory response from Iran.
Meanwhile, diplomatic contacts continue. Donald Trump said he expects a response from Tehran to the latest US proposal “very soon”, while behind the scenes, contacts continue to be brokered by countries in the region, including Qatar.
At the same time, the situation remains explosive in Lebanon. At least nine people were killed in Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon, according to the country’s health ministry, while in northern Israel, a reserve soldier was seriously wounded by a Hezbollah drone strike.
Conflict continues despite a ceasefire that has supposedly been in place since mid-April, with fears of a generalized flare-up in the Middle East remaining strong.
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