Iraqi military debunks claims of Israeli base in Karbala desert

Iraq’s military moved forces into the desert between Najaf and Karbala on Tuesday, escorting journalists to the site of what U.S. and Israeli media reports had described as a secret Israeli base — a claim Iraqi officials firmly deny, insisting no long‑term foreign presence was ever established there.

Senior Iraqi officers said the deployment was intended to counter allegations first published by the Wall Street Journal, which claimed Israel had operated a logistical hub in Iraq during its war with Iran.

Israeli officials have not commented on the report.

Standing at the site, Gen. Abdul‑Amir Yarallah, Chief of the General Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces, dismissed the claims as misinformation.

“All what has been said by the Israeli and American media that there is an Israeli base — it is here in front of you,” he said. “We believe it was a small force that came and stayed for no longer than 48 hours.”

Yarallah added that Iraqi units had reached the area shortly after the incident and found no evidence of a permanent installation.

Brief encounter with a foreign force

Iraqi officials acknowledge that a foreign group was detected in the desert in early March.

Maj. Gen. Tahseen al‑Khafaji, spokesperson for the Iraqi defense ministry, told the Associated Press that the military received intelligence on March 3 about “a small enemy force” in the Najaf desert.

When Iraqi troops approached the area the next day, they came under aerial attack.

“Within 25 kilometers, the force which went there faced an aerial attack, which led to the martyrdom of one of our fighters and injured two others,” al‑Khafaji said.

The Iraqi patrol withdrew after the strike but returned the following day, finding no personnel and no signs of a base.

No evidence of long-term presence

Military officials say their search of the area revealed no infrastructure, equipment, or traces suggesting a sustained deployment.

“It is believed that the force was there for a very short time and it was a very small force,” al‑Khafaji said, adding that nothing indicated the group had been stationed there for long.

The nationality of the force has not been publicly confirmed.

Regional tensions heighten scrutiny

The incident unfolded days after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, triggering a broader regional confrontation.

Iraq, positioned between rival powers and home to multiple armed groups, has increasingly found itself caught in the crossfire.

As Baghdad attempts to assert control over its territory and distance itself from regional escalation, officials say disproving claims of foreign bases is essential to maintaining sovereignty and stability.