Israeli forces reportedly operated a covert outpost in western Iraq to support air operations against Iran, positioning rescue units and special forces near the battlefield while concealing the installation from Iraqi authorities.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Israel secretly established a covert military installation in Iraq’s western desert ahead of the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran earlier this year, according to a report published Saturday detailing previously undisclosed operational infrastructure used during the conflict.
The clandestine facility, described in a Wall Street Journal report, was reportedly created shortly before the military operation against Iran began on Feb. 28 and operated with the knowledge of the United States.
According to the report, the base functioned as a forward staging and logistics center deep inside Iraq’s sparsely populated western desert, placing Israeli assets significantly closer to Iranian territory during the aerial campaign. The site reportedly housed Israeli Air Force special operations personnel trained for missions behind enemy lines and supported Israeli combat operations conducted approximately 1,000 miles from Israeli territory.
Search-and-rescue teams were also stationed at the installation to recover Israeli pilots in the event aircraft were downed over Iran. The report stated that no Israeli aircrew ultimately required extraction during the operation.
Footage and battlefield updates circulated on social media posts documenting the conflict during the operation as regional tensions escalated.
The facility reportedly played a role during a separate incident involving a downed American fighter aircraft near Isfahan. According to the report, Israel offered assistance after a U.S. F-15 carrying two American airmen was shot down, though American forces conducted the rescue mission independently. Israeli strikes were nevertheless reportedly carried out to help secure the extraction area during the operation.
The covert outpost was nearly exposed in early March after a local shepherd reportedly observed unusual helicopter activity in the isolated desert region and informed Iraqi authorities. Iraqi military forces dispatched to investigate the area were reportedly stopped before reaching the site after airstrikes targeted the approaching units.
Iraqi officials publicly condemned the attack at the time, reporting that one Iraqi soldier was killed and two others were wounded.
“This reckless operation was carried out without coordination or approval,” Lt. Gen. Qais Al-Muhammadawi, deputy commander of Iraq’s Joint Operations Command, told Iraqi state media following the incident.
Iraq later submitted a complaint to the United Nations blaming the United States for the strike, although the Journal reported American forces were not involved in the attack.
“It appears there was a certain force on the ground before the strike, supported from the air, operating beyond the capabilities of our units,” Muhammadawi said.
The report offers additional insight into the extensive covert support network behind Israel’s military campaign against Iran, which reportedly involved thousands of strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure, drone assets, naval systems and other military installations.
Additional operational footage and military analysis shared online highlighted the scale of Israeli air operations conducted during the broader campaign.
Military analysts cited in the report said western Iraq’s vast desert terrain provided an ideal environment for a temporary forward operating base because of its isolation and proximity to Iran.
“It’s normal that before operations you reconnoiter and set up these kinds of locations,” Michael Knights, head of research for Horizon Engage, told the outlet.
The revelations also appeared to align with remarks made earlier this year by outgoing Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, who referenced undisclosed operations conducted during the campaign.
“These days, fighters from special units of the air force are conducting special missions which could ignite the imagination,” Bar said at the time.
The report surfaced weeks after separate reports indicated Israel quietly deployed an Iron Dome air defense battery and Israeli military personnel to the United Arab Emirates during the conflict. The deployment was reportedly intended to help defend the Gulf nation against Iranian missile and drone attacks and marked the first known operational use of Iron Dome outside Israeli territory.
The growing military coordination between Israel and the UAE has expanded following the Abraham Accords, which normalized diplomatic relations between the two countries and increased security cooperation across the region.