Shafaq News-Baghdad
The desertsof Najaf and Al-Anbar provinces contain no foreign military bases, Iraq’sInterior Ministry confirmed on Tuesday, rejecting reports of an alleged Israelipresence in the area.
Speaking ata press conference, Miqdad Miri, director of the ministry’s Public Relationsand Media Department, said Iraq’s Joint Operations Command (JOC) had reviewedthe issue and possessed “images and documents” proving the area was clear ofany such activity. He added that “what occurred was an operation carried outwithin 48 hours during the war on Iran.”
The Israeli newspaper Maariv previouslyreported that Israel had operated a secret military base in Iraq’s westerndesert during the 2026 war with Iran, allegedly deploying commando teams,emergency medical units, and special forces to the remote area. The JOC later describedthe claims as inaccurate, urging media outlets and politicians not to circulate“unverified information.”
A lawmaker from Iraq’s Shiite Badrbloc, however, had told Shafaq News that a joint “US-Israeli” militarycamp still exists in western Iraq. The MP also criticized the InteriorMinistry, the JOC, and border forces, noting that the area falls under theresponsibility of Iraq’s border guards.
: Israel's secret base in Iraq: what happened in the western desert