WSJ
Israel Built and Defended a Secret Iran War
Base in Iraq
Anat Peled and Jared Malsin
May 9, 2026

Israel set up a clandestine military outpost in the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign against Iran and launched airstrikes against Iraqi troops who almost discovered it early in the war, people familiar with the matter including U.S. officials said. Israel built the installation, which housed special forces and served as a logistical hub for the Israeli air force, just before the war started with the knowledge of the U.S., the people said. Search-and-rescue teams were positioned there in case Israeli pilots were downed. None have been. READ MORE