Israel Ran Two Secret Bases in Iraq Desert for Over a Year

Iraqi and regional officials told The New York Times that Israel operated two secret military bases in Iraq’s western desert for more than a year to support operations against Iran. The presence of the first base was previously reported by The Wall Street Journal. Officials said a second undisclosed site also existed in the same desert region.

A local shepherd, Awad al-Shammari, 29, came across one of the sites on March 3 while driving to buy groceries. He contacted Iraq’s regional military command to report soldiers, helicopters and tents around a landing strip. Hours later, witnesses from a nearby Bedouin encampment said a helicopter chased his truck, firing repeatedly until it stopped in the sand.

The truck was riddled with bullets and on fire when it came to a halt. His cousin, Amir al-Shammari, told The New York Times that the shepherd never returned home. The family believes the discovery cost him his life.

The sites were kept secret for months and operated intermittently, the officials said. N12 News reported that the bases were active for over a year.

“Israel spent more than a year preparing a secret site in Iraq to support its operations against Iran.”