Israel Built Secret Forward Base in Iraqi Desert to Support War Against Iran

Financial News
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WSJ reported on the 9th, citing sources including U.S. government officials, that Israel had established a secret military base in the Iraqi desert.
The base was built just before the war to support air operations against Iran. Early in the conflict, Israel even launched a preemptive strike when the site risked being discovered by the Iraqi military.
According to the sources, special forces are stationed at the base, which serves as a logistics support hub for the Israeli Air Force.
A pilot search-and-rescue team was also deployed, but it was never used in actual operations because no Israeli aircraft were hit in this war.
In early April, when a U.S. F-15 fighter jet was shot down near Isfahan, Israel offered rescue support, but the U.S. military carried out the operation on its own. Israel instead provided covering airstrikes.
The secret base nearly came to light in early March.
Iraqi forces were dispatched to investigate after a local shepherd reported unusual military activity, including helicopter flights.
To prevent the base from being exposed, Israel immediately carried out airstrikes and blocked Iraqi forces from approaching. One person was killed and two others were injured in the attack. At the time, Iraq mistakenly believed the strike was carried out by the United States and filed an official protest with the United Nations (UN).
Experts say western Iraq's vast, sparsely populated desert makes it an ideal location for a secret base. In particular, with Israel and Iran separated by 1,600 kilometers, a forward base in Iraq becomes a strategic foothold that can maximize operational efficiency.
Michael Knights, director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explained that "establishing such a foothold through pre-operation reconnaissance is a common military activity."
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dympna@fnnews.com Song Kyung-jae Reporter