Iraqi Security: Israeli Strikes Targeted Chinese Air Defense Systems

Iraqi authorities suspect Israel struck two locations where Iran-backed militias stored shoulder-fired air defense systems of Chinese origin. The assessment comes from sources cited by the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday. The report did not identify the specific weapon system or provide direct evidence for the claim.

Security officials told the newspaper that the armed group selecting the storage sites considered them difficult to detect. The suspected strikes occurred shortly after the shipments arrived at both locations. The attacks took place during the week preceding the report.

An explosion at a Popular Mobilization Forces base in Baghdad’s East Canal area occurred on October 17. The PMF, an umbrella body for Iranian-backed militias and an Iraqi paramilitary force, initially described the blast as an accident. Iraqi government officials promised an investigation into the incident, which injured five people. An anonymous official said authorities were still examining the circumstances, despite more than a week passing without an official update.

This mid-October incident followed an earlier event on October 1. Warehouses linked to Iran-backed groups in and around Baghdad were affected in that instance. Reports indicated the sites held drones intended for suicide attacks and reconnaissance missions. A security official stated that while the nature of the strikes was not fully determined, evidence pointed to Israeli involvement.

Previous incidents have led Iraqis to blame Israel for similar actions. In 2019, Iranian-backed militias attributed strikes to Israel, as did an attack in Albukamal, Syria. In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel established a secret airstrip in Iraq during the campaign against Iran. Unconfirmed accounts also describe Israeli fighter jets transiting Iraqi airspace near the Iranian border with the aid of midair refuelers.

Iran has supplied Iraqi militias with missiles and drones for years. These groups launched numerous attacks on Israel following the war that began on October 7, 2023. Since the US and Israel began airstrikes in February, Iran has positioned Iraq as a frontline. The country has endured over 1,000 strikes on the Kurdistan Region and 600 attacks across the nation, some targeting US diplomatic sites. The US withdrew its forces from Iraq on September 30, meeting a deadline agreed upon with Baghdad.

A source in the Shi'ite Coordination Framework said ruling party leaders spent weeks predicting that renewed war would begin with the destruction of Iraqi factions' capabilities. Most major PMF groups, excluding the Badr Organization, face US terrorist designations. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of militias, recently published a statement claiming Iraqi airspace was being violated.