Reports Claims that U.S. Warned Iraq Away from Desert Area Linked to Alleged Israeli-Iran War Outpost
Iraqi sources say Baghdad believed an unusual military presence in the western desert may have been American forces
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Haaretz reports that the United States advised Iraq to avoid parts of the Najaf desert before and during the Iran war, amid allegations that Israel had established a secret military outpost in the area to support operations against Iran.
According to reports published by Al Araby and Haaretz on Sunday, an Iraqi security source said Iraqi authorities had been instructed to keep forces away from parts of the desert “for security reasons” while unidentified foreign forces operated there.
“Iraq was unable to identify the force that was stationed in the Najaf desert two months ago,” the source reportedly said.
Another Iraqi security source quoted by Al Jazeera on Sunday said Baghdad did not indicate that Israeli forces were present in Iraq’s western desert and initially believed the activity may have involved American forces instead.
The source added that Iraqi authorities later identified “disruption and early warning devices” in western Iraq, though no foreign military force currently remains in the area.
According to the reports, alleged Israeli airborne landings in the Najaf desert and Samawah areas were “uncoordinated,” while the area itself was described as isolated from Iraqi civilian and security presence.
The claims follow a report published Saturday by The Wall Street Journal alleging that Israel established a secret military installation in Iraq’s desert shortly before the outbreak of the Iran war at the end of February 2026.
The Wall Street Journal report further claimed that Israeli forces used the outpost to support airstrike operations against Iran and that Iraqi troops approaching the area were reportedly targeted to prevent the discovery of the installation.
Neither Israel nor the United States has officially confirmed the existence of such a base.
On Sunday, Kurdistan24 reported that the Iraqi government has so far maintained a NO-COMMENT position regarding the reports. Earlier, Iraqi officials avoided directly responding to allegations surrounding a possible Israeli installation in the western desert.
The reports emerge amid heightened regional tensions following months of conflict involving the United States, Iran, Israel, and Iran-backed armed groups across the Middle East.
Iraq has repeatedly attempted to avoid becoming a direct battlefield between regional and international powers, while simultaneously facing increasing pressure from both Washington and Tehran over security, militia activity, and regional military operations.
The allegations could further complicate Iraq’s already fragile internal political and security environment, particularly as Baghdad continues negotiations surrounding the formation of a new government amid rising U.S. pressure to limit Iranian influence inside Iraq.