In Iraqi Desert, Two Israeli Outposts Were Kept Secret for Months

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/europe/israel-iraq-iran-bases.html

https://archive.ph/tDOHd

In Iraqi Desert, Two Israeli Outposts Were Kept Secret for Months
Israel spent over a year preparing a covert site in Iraq for its operations against Iran, regional officials say. Iraqi officials later confirmed the existence of a second base.
By Erika Solomon and Falih Hassan
May 17, 2026 Updated 6:14 a.m. ET

The truck rattling by at 2 p.m. on March 3 was a familiar sight to residents of the Bedouin encampment in Iraq’s rugged western desert — a local shepherd’s pickup, en route to the nearest town of al-Nukhaib.

Its return a few hours later, flaming and riddled with bullets, was anything but routine.

A helicopter was chasing the truck, three witnesses from the camp said, firing on it repeatedly until it jerked to a halt in the sand.

The deadly attack, which has not been previously reported, took place after Awad al-Shammari, 29, set off on a grocery trip, his cousin, Amir al-Shammari, told The New York Times. Instead of making it home, the shepherd stumbled upon a closely guarded Israeli military secret, hidden in the Iraqi desert. His family believes it cost him his life.

Mr. al-Shammari’s discovery would ultimately reveal how Iraq had played host to two covert bases operated intermittently by Israel, a hostile state, for well over a year.






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