تحت عنوان «فرض السيادة».. العراق يطلق عملية أمنية في النجف وكربلاء

Under the title "Imposing Sovereignty," Iraqi authorities launched a wide-ranging security operation today (Tuesday) in the deserts of Najaf and Karbala, aimed at securing the road linking Karbala to the Al-Nukhayb area and enhancing security deployment in the desert areas near the administrative borders between provinces, following reports of a secret Israeli base in the Karbala desert.

Iraqi sources reported that the operations are being carried out under the direction of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and under the supervision of the Chief of Staff of the Army, Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yar Allah, through several field axes involving military and security units specialized in inspection and combing operations.

They added that the forces began conducting security surveys and combing operations to a depth of up to 70 kilometers into the desert areas, as part of a plan aimed at enhancing security and preventing any potential violations, especially in open areas and vital roads linking the provinces.

These security movements coincide with the rising discussions in recent days about the existence of military activities or sites suspected of being linked to Israel within the desert areas in the west of the country, which has prompted security forces to intensify their field measures and raise the level of deployment to secure the area and impose full control over it.

The "Wall Street Journal" reported, citing American officials and informed sources on Sunday, that Israel has established a secret military site in the Iraqi desert to support the war against Iran and has carried out airstrikes against Iraqi forces that nearly discovered it early in the war.

Sources indicated that Israel built the facility, which housed special forces and served as a logistical center for the Israeli Air Force, before the war on Iran and with the knowledge of the United States.

Baghdad responded that security forces engaged with "unknown forces" in early March, and that the Karbala desert had not witnessed any new landings, while the Iraqi parliament announced its intention to summon security leaders for investigation.

Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem Al-Araji affirmed Baghdad's position regarding the rejection of using Iraqi territory as a launch pad for any hostile actions or security or military operations targeting neighboring countries.

This came following a meeting of the Iraqi-Iranian High Security Committee in the capital Baghdad, attended by senior officials from both countries, where the implementation of the security agreement between the two countries, the latest security developments, and regional developments in the area were discussed.

Al-Araji stated in a statement that he "emphasized Iraq's full commitment not to allow any party or group to exploit its territory to harm the security and stability of neighboring countries, stemming from Baghdad's keenness to establish regional security and respect the sovereignty of states."

Iraq reiterated its denial of the existence of unauthorized bases or forces on its territory in the Karbala desert.