Israel hints at covert bombing raids against Iranian-linked targets in Iraq
- PM Benjamin Netanyahu told a Russian-language broadcaster that ‘of course’ the country is operating against a state ‘that wants to annihilate us’
- A series of blasts in recent weeks have hit weapon depots and bases belonging to paramilitary groups in Iraq, many of them backed by Iran
In an interview with Russian-language Israeli television Channel 9, broadcast on Thursday, Netanyahu was asked whether Israel would operate against Iranian targets in Iraq if needed, he said:
“We are operating – not just if needed, we are operating in many areas against a state that wants to annihilate us. Of course I gave the security forces a free hand and instructed them to do anything necessary to thwart Iran’s plans.”
Netanyahu did not directly name Iraq as one of those areas.
Israeli officials suggested recently they viewed Iraq, whose main ally is Iran, as more of a threat than in recent years, but have not directly commented on the recent blasts at Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) sites in Iraq.
On Wednesday, the PMF, the umbrella grouping of Iraq’s mostly Shiite Muslim paramilitary groups, said the US had allowed four Israeli drones to enter the region accompanying its forces and carry out missions on Iraqi territory.
As tensions between Washington and Tehran increase, Iraq finds itself caught between neighbouring Iran, whose regional influence has grown in recent years, and the US.
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi last week ordered all ammunition dumps belonging to the armed forces or paramilitary groups to be moved outside cities.
He also cancelled all special flight permissions for Iraqi and foreign aircraft, meaning that sorties, including by the US-led coalition operating against IS militants, must be cleared in advance by the prime minister.
