The Wall Street Journal reported this evening (Saturday) that Israel established a secret military outpost in the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign against Iran, and has launched airstrikes against Iraqi forces that nearly exposed it early in the war, sources familiar with the matter, including American officials, told the newspaper.
According to the report, Israel built the facility, which housed special forces and served as a logistics center for the Israeli Air Force, just before the start of the war, and with the knowledge of the United States, according to the same sources.
Search and rescue teams have been stationed there in case Israeli pilots are shot down. So far, not one has been shot down. When a US F-15 was shot down near Isfahan, Israel offered assistance, but US forces managed to rescue the two crew members themselves, one of the sources said. Israel carried out airstrikes to help secure the operation.
The US newspaper added that the Israeli base was almost exposed in early March. Official Iraqi media reported that a local shepherd reported unusual military activity in the area, including helicopter flights, and the Iraqi army sent forces to investigate. Israel repelled them with airstrikes, according to one of the sources involved.
The report said the IDF declined to comment on the publication, while the Iraqi government condemned the attack at the time, which killed an Iraqi soldier. An Iraqi government spokesman declined to comment further on the incident or on whether the government knew about the Israeli base.