WSJ: Israel Has Set Up A Secret Base In The Iraqi Desert

• 10.05.2026, 8:16

To support the air campaign against Iran.

Israel has built a secret military base in the Iraqi desert to support its air campaign against Iran. It was also a blow to Iranian forces, who nearly discovered the facility at the start of the war.

It was reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Sources said Israel built the facility, which housed special forces and served as a logistics center for the Israeli Air Force, shortly before the war.

Search and rescue teams were stationed there in case Israeli pilots were shot down. However, no shootdowns ever occurred.

When a U.S. F-15 fighter jet was shot down near Isfahan in Iran, the Israelis were the ones who offered assistance, but U.S. forces rescued the two pilots on their own. Israel also conducted airstrikes to protect the operation.

The Israeli base was nearly discovered in early March. The media reported that a local shepherd reported unusual military activity in the area, including helicopter flights.

The Iraqi military sent troops to investigate. Israel in turn deterred them with airstrikes. The Iraqi government at the time condemned the attack, which killed an Iraqi soldier.

In a complaint filed with the UN in late March, Iraq said foreign forces were involved in the attack and airstrikes were carried out, attributing the actions to the US. However, the WSJ source says the U.S. was not involved in the attacks.

The publication notes that details about the base - and the risks Israel took to establish and defend it - help paint a picture of how the country managed to wage an air campaign against an enemy some 1,000 miles away.