Israel built second secret military base in Iraqi desert before June's Op. Rising Lion - report

Israel built two secret bases in Iraq's desert during the ongoing war with Iran, The New York Times reported on Sunday morning, citing unnamed Iraqi officials.The base was allegedly discovered on March 3 by a Bedouin shepherd in the country's western desert. The report comes a week after the Wall Street Journal reported, citing several people familiar with the matter, on a first secret military base Israel had built in a remote part of the Iraqi desert to support an airstrike in the war against Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, the base housed special forces from the Air Force and served as a logistics facility. IDF troops were stationed there in case pilots were shot down over enemy territory.The report also noted that the IDF nearly launched strikes against Iraqi troops that had almost discovered the secret base.On March 4, a local shepherd spotted unusual activity, including helicopter flights, and tipped off the Iraqi military.One official told The Wall Street Journal that the IDF drove the Iraqi military away with airstrikes. One Iraqi soldier was killed in the incident. A US source told The Wall Street Journal that American forces were not involved in the matter.Base predates June 2025's Operation Rising LionUnlike the first base, the reported second base "predated the current war between the United States, Israel, and Iran" and was used in June 2025 during Operation Rising Lion, The New York Times claimed.Furthermore, the report stated that Israel had begun preparations to build the base in 2024.