The Wall Street Journal reported the IDF built a secret outpost in western Iraq before Operation Roaring Lion to support airstrikes on Iran. In early March a shepherd alerted Iraqi forces; the report says Israeli strikes drove them off, killing one soldier and drawing Baghdad's condemnation.

If accurate, Israel’s clandestine Iraqi base and reported strikes undermine Iraqi sovereignty and pose immediate security and diplomatic risks for Baghdad. Baghdad condemned the attack, filed a UN complaint, and after one soldier was killed, the incident could prompt further clashes or quick regional escalation that complicates Iraq’s relations with the U.S. and neighbors.