Iraqi officials suspect Israel hit militia depots

Iraqi authorities suspect Israel struck two storage sites in Baghdad where Iran-backed militias kept shoulder-fired air defense systems. The weapons reportedly came from Tehran and were of Chinese origin. Officials believe the strikes occurred last week.

Sources cited by the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat said the armed group selected the storage locations because they were difficult to reach or detect. The attacks happened soon after the shipments arrived. The report did not identify the specific Chinese system involved. It acknowledged that some details remained unconfirmed.

On October 17, an explosion occurred at a Popular Mobilition Forces base in Baghdad's East Canal area. The PMF is an umbrella body for many Iranian-backed militias and serves as a government paramilitary force. The group described the blast as an accident. The Iraqi government promised an investigation.

The newspaper reported the explosion hit a stockpile of obsolete ammunition. Five people were injured. An anonymous Iraqi official stated authorities were still reviewing the circumstances. No update had been provided more than a week after the incident.

This event followed a similar incident on October 1. Warehouses linked to Iran-backed groups in and around Baghdad were affected then as well. Reports indicated the sites held drones intended for suicide attacks and reconnaissance. A security official said Iraqi authorities had not determined the nature of those strikes but believed Israel was responsible based on available evidence.

Iraqi officials have previously blamed Israel for attacks in the region. In 2019, militias attributed strikes to Israel. They also blamed it for a strike in Albukamal, Syria, near the Iraqi border. In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel established a secret airstrip in Iraq during its campaign against Iran. Unconfirmed accounts also described Israeli fighter jets flying through Iraqi airspace near the Iranian border with midair refueler support.

Iran has armed Iraqi militias for years with missiles and drones capable of threatening Israel. These groups launched many attacks after the war began on October 7, 2023. Since the US and Israel began airstrikes in February, Iran has sought to use Iraq as a frontline. The country has carried out more than 1,000 strikes on the Kurdistan Region using drones and missiles. Iran and allied militias have mounted 600 attacks across Iraq, some targeting US diplomatic sites. The US withdrew its forces from Iraq on September 30, a deadline agreed with Baghdad. Washington has warned Americans against traveling to Baghdad.

A source in the Shi'ite Coordination Framework said ruling party leaders spent weeks predicting renewed war between Washington and Tehran would start with the destruction of Iraqi factions' capabilities. Most major PMF groups, except the Badr Organization, are sanctioned by the US as terrorist organizations. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq published a statement claiming Iraqi airspace was being violated.