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A secret Israeli base in Iraq? What we know

Al Jazeera · May 12, 2026, 1:12 PM · Also reported by 1 other source

Key takeaways

  • Israeli troops reportedly used this base to launch attacks against Iran during the war.
  • The military post also included capacity for search-and-rescue teams to assist downed Israeli pilots.
  • The report added that Israeli troops launched air attacks from this base against Iraqi forces who nearly discovered it in early March.

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

Israeli troops reportedly used this base to launch attacks against Iran during the war.

xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Followers of Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr wave Iraqi flags during a protest against US and Israeli attacks on Iran, in Tahrir Square, Baghdad [File: Hadi Mizban/AP]By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026Israel built a secretly operated military outpost deep inside the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign in the run-up to the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, reports in US media have claimed.

On Saturday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel built the installation, which housed special forces and served as a logistical hub for its air force, with the ⁠knowledge of the United States just before the start of the war on Iran. The military post also included capacity for search-and-rescue teams to assist downed Israeli pilots.

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