Israeli forces used an old airport in the Iraqi desert to set up a makeshift base during the war with Iran, two security officials told AFP on Sunday, confirming a Wall Street Journal report.On February 28, the United States and Israel jointly attacked Iran. At the beginning of the war, the army was discovered in the Najaf Desert in the southwest of the country and clashed with the Iraqi army, resulting in the death of one soldier and the injury of two people. “Israeli forces have established a base at an abandoned airport built by Saddam Hussein in the Najaf desert,” security officials said.“There are no longer troops there, but they may have left equipment,” he said, adding that the Israeli action “was coordinated with the United States.” It was unclear how long the troops had been there or what their mission was.Iraq has been embroiled in the Middle East war from the start, with U.S. and Israeli attacks blamed on Iranian-backed armed groups, who in turn have launched hundreds of attacks against U.S. interests in Iraq and across the Gulf. Reports of foreign troops in the desert emerged early in the war after a shepherd reported military activity. “Israel has established a secret military outpost in the Iraqi desert to support its air strikes against Iran,” the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter, including U.S. officials. “Israel built the facility with the knowledge of the United States to house special forces and serve as a logistics center,” the report said. The Israeli military has not yet commented.After the Wall Street Journal report, an Iraqi spokesman referred to the statement issued on March 5. At the time, Iraq’s deputy commander for joint operations, Keith Mohammadavi, told state media that Iraq protested the air strikes on Najaf to the U.S.-led anti-jihadist coalition stationed in the country. He said the Iraqi military sent a unit to investigate after receiving reports of “persons or activity” in the Najaf desert. The troops came under heavy aerial fire, killing one soldier and wounding two others. Mohammadavi said reinforcements then searched the area but “nothing was found.” “No foreign troops were authorized to enter the site.” Another security official said, “There are indications that the operation involved an Israeli technical team.” mechanism
