Iraq at the Crossroads: Israel, Covert Operations, and the Struggle for Sovereignty

Aleena Im, New Eastern Outlook, May 23, 2026 —

Iraq is no longer just a battlefield — it’s becoming Israel’s hidden launchpad against Iran, exposing Baghdad’s weak sovereignty and dangerous double game. If Iraq fails to shut down foreign covert operations now, it risks turning itself into the next front line of a catastrophic regional war.

“The Iraqis have a country that inherited cultures thousands of years old, while the Americans have a culture only two hundred years old. Two hundred years will teach thousands of years!? Oh Americans, leave Iraq for its people” (Yusuf al-Qaradawi)

Although Xi Jinping treated the US president with the utmost respect, China remains wary of Trump’s next steps and has not changed its stance with regard to the situation in Iran. In the meantime, an intelligence report is being made public that has exposed the deep penetration of Israel’s security forces in the Middle East, instigating tensions and chaos in different states. This time, the host was Iraq, and the target was Iran. Be it a security breach or covert compliance, Iraq is once again emerging as an active participant in the US-Iran war.

Changing Security Landscape

The new security environment and alliances being formed in the Middle East make it challenging for countries such as Iraq to maintain neutrality

Moreover, the Gulf states seem willing to accept the four-point peace proposal of China, which will offer a clear way out of the prevailing situation in the region. Interestingly, Saudi Arabia has recently denied base access to the US to be used against Iran. In addition, according to the Financial Times, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been involved in negotiations with its allies regarding a non-aggression plan with Iran for dealing with regional tensions after the end of the US-Iran conflict.

Israeli Base in Iraq

On the other hand, the Wall Street Journal announced some new things about the region. According to the report, Israel established a secret military base in the Iraqi desert to aid its aerial offensive against Iran and struck Iraqi forces that were almost on the verge of uncovering it during the early stages of the war. The Israelis constructed the base, which was a base of operations for special units and also acted as a logistics base for the Israeli air force, immediately before the commencement of the war, with the approval of the United States. Since the beginning of the war between the United States and Iran, there has been one nation that has kept silent: this nation is Iraq, which, ironically, has a considerable population of Shiite Muslims.

However, this report has caused some confusion regarding the activities happening in Iraq. According to the Iraqi State Media, the base was already exposed in March when a local shepherd observed some irregular movements. The Iraqi forces took immediate action and came under fierce attack by Israeli forces. The exchange of fire resulted in the killing of one Iraqi soldier. Later on, the Iraqi government sent its counter-terrorism unit to conduct a search operation in the alleged area. The results of the investigations clearly showed that some foreign military movements were taking place in the area.

Security Breach or Compliance?

The main question is whether this covert Israeli presence is a small part of a big picture or was it just a small security breach? To understand this, the current political situation of Iraq needs to be taken into consideration.

Historically, Iraq has been under the coercion of the US, which not only destroyed its entire geographic landscape and economy but also made it politically unstable. The current ruling political organisation of Iraq is the Shiite-led coalition party called the Coordination Framework, which is made up of the Shia Islamist parties as well as other local militias. In 2026, the prime minister of Iraq, Ali Al-Zaidi, became the leader with the help of the Shiite party. Since 2003, the US has had an even greater hold over the Iraqi economy. Therefore, every administration in Iraq has to cooperate with both the Americans and the domestic Shiite coalition.

Secondly, the timing of the disclosure of the base is quite significant. The newly established Al-Zaidi administration could use this against the opposition party of Al-Sudani and his allies within the security establishment.

Third, the Israeli PM Netanyahu has several times stated that Israel is forming a hexagon of alliances in the region with like-minded partners. Therefore, the establishment of an Israeli base in Iraq could be a step forward for this. There seem to be major security loopholes in distant locations that fall outside the Iraqi leadership’s control, which Israel has seemingly exploited, thanks to their extensive cooperation with the Americans, who monitor and control the Iraqi airspace.

Consequences

Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, “We are not ruling out anything related to the Zionist entity in the region. Anything must be taken seriously, and this issue is important and will certainly be discussed with Iraq,” he added. Iraq is now sandwiched between the US and Iran. All the US military bases in the region have been the target of Iran in the past two months. The use of Iraqi territory by Israel against Iran could result in similar consequences. Moreover, such steps could degrade the ongoing peace negotiations between the US and Iran, deteriorating the already minimal trust factor between the two.

Conclusion

The presence of an Israeli military base in Iraq is, on one hand, a shock, while on the other hand, a potential catastrophe for the region. The new security environment and alliances being formed in the Middle East make it challenging for countries such as Iraq to maintain neutrality. Israel is now consolidating its influence in regions where previously only Iran had an impact. The use of Iraqi territory by Israel to launch military operations against Iran is a huge red flag. It raises the question: Is this a singular event where Israel saw an opportunity and conducted a clandestine operation without having the Iraqi government on board? Or is it just another play from Israel’s playbook?