Baghdad Blames Israel for Blowing Up Chinese Air Defense Stockpiles

Baghdad officials believe a foreign power struck two secret militia storage sites last week.

Sources told the London-based paper Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday that Iraq suspects Israel of the attacks. The targets held shoulder-fired air defense systems of Chinese origin. These weapons were reportedly supplied by Tehran. The report did not name the specific system involved. It also admitted that some details remain unverified. One insider noted the group that picked the spots thought they were hard to find. The strikes came shortly after the shipments arrived.

The violence extends beyond those two locations. An explosion occurred at a Popular Mobilization Forces base on October 17. The PMF is a large paramilitary body that includes many Iranian-backed groups. Officials initially called the blast an accident. The government promised to investigate. The paper said the blast hit a stockpile of old ammunition in the East Canal area of Baghdad. Five people were injured. An anonymous official said the inquiry is ongoing. More than a week has passed without a public update on the findings.

The October 17 incident appears to be part of a broader pattern. Security sources point to a similar event on October 1. Warehouses linked to Iranian groups in and around Baghdad were affected then. Reports suggest the sites held drones for suicide attacks and reconnaissance. A security official stated that while the nature of the strikes is not fully determined, evidence points to Israel. This aligns with a growing consensus among Iraqi leaders about the source of the blasts.

This is not the first time Iraq has pointed fingers at Tel Aviv. Militias blamed Israel for strikes in 2019 and a recent hit near the border in Syria. In May, The Wall Street Journal reported on a secret Israeli airstrip built in Iraq during the campaign against Iran. Other unconfirmed accounts suggest Israeli jets have flown through Iraqi airspace near the Iranian border. These flights reportedly had support from midair refueling tankers.

The regional context adds weight to these suspicions. Iran has armed Iraqi militias for years with missiles and drones that can threaten Israel. These groups launched many attacks after the war began in October 2023. Since the US and Israel began airstrikes in February, Tehran has tried to make Iraq a frontline. Iran and its allies have carried out over 1,000 drone and missile strikes on the Kurdistan Region. They have also mounted 600 attacks across Iraq, some targeting US diplomatic sites. The US pulled its forces out on September 30, as agreed with Baghdad. It has since advised Americans to avoid traveling to Baghdad.

The newspaper also linked the events to China. It suggested that China supplied weapons to Iran, which then moved them to Iraq. This connection is unconfirmed. China’s Foreign Ministry denied the reports on July 28. In a separate incident, an Iran-backed group hit Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline with a drone. The launch site was reportedly in Maysan province. That crossing near the Iranian border is now closed. The closure follows US pressure and Iraqi worries about trafficking.

Asharq Al-Awsat argues these strikes mark a new phase in the conflict. The original incidents date back to early and mid-October. A source in the Shi'ite Coordination Framework said ruling leaders have predicted a renewed war for weeks. They expect it to start with the destruction of the Iraqi factions' capabilities. Most major PMF groups, except the Badr Organization, face US terrorist sanctions. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a militia coalition that has attacked Israel and the US, recently issued a statement. It claimed that Iraqi airspace is being violated by foreign powers.

The situation remains tense as investigations continue. The lack of official confirmation leaves many questions unanswered. However, the pattern of recent blasts suggests a coordinated effort to degrade militia capabilities. Both Baghdad and Tehran will likely watch these developments closely. The next moves by either side could escalate the situation further.