Iraqi parliament summons security ministers over reports of alleged Israeli clandestine outpost - report
Satellite images from March reportedly showed a 1.6-kilometer airstrip deep in the Iraqi desert near the outpost suspected location
A report alleging that Israel established a clandestine outpost inside Iraqi territory has triggered political uproar in Baghdad, prompting Iraq’s parliament to summon senior security officials for urgent questioning.
According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Iraqi lawmakers called on the defense and interior ministers, along with top military and intelligence officials, to appear before parliament following a Wall Street Journal report claiming Israel had set up a covert facility in the Al-Nukhayb desert. The area lies between Najaf and Anbar provinces, roughly 80 kilometers from the Saudi border and about 200 kilometers from Iran.
Satellite images from March reportedly showed a 1.6-kilometer airstrip deep in the Iraqi desert near the suspected location, fueling speculation surrounding the site’s purpose and ownership.
A senior Iraqi official from the parliament presidency office told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the Joint Operations Command had confirmed an incident in early March involving an attack on Iraqi military forces stationed in the area. According to the report, an unidentified force approached the site and engaged troops operating there.
Initial Iraqi assessments reportedly suggested the force may have been American, operating as part of wider actions targeting the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces militias. Iraqi army personnel and border guards were also reportedly affected during the incident.
The report further claimed Iraqi security agencies had identified the desert site previously but believed it belonged to US-led coalition forces operating in the region. One senior Iraqi security official later stated that the site is currently considered “clean,” meaning there is no active military presence there at this time
The controversy has also sparked political accusations against Washington. Iraqi parliament member Raad al-Maliki accused the United States of enabling Israeli military activity in Iraq during the recent regional conflict.
In a Facebook post, al-Maliki claimed the US “handed over Iraq’s skies to the entity during the war and ordered the radars to be disabled,” adding that Iraqi territory was allegedly used to establish a “secret intelligence center or base.” He described the claims as a “serious violation” and called for intelligence and national security agencies to be held accountable.