Israel reportedly established a secret base to support its air campaign against Iran in the Iraqi desert, and bombed local troops – killing one – who nearly discovered it.The Wall Street Journal has reported sources familiar with the operation said the clandestine outpost before the war began with the knowledge of the US.It hosted special forces personnel and was set up to be a logistics hub for the Israeli air force, the Journal reports. Local authorities were not consulted about the operation, and Iraqi soldiers came under intense fire when attempting to inspect the site after a shepherd reported unusual activity in the area.One soldier was killed in the attack in early March, with the Iraqi government condemning the incident, which they believed the US was responsible for.“This reckless operation was carried out without coordination or approval,” Lieutenant General Qais Al-Muhammadawi told Iraqi state media.“It appears there was a certain force on the ground before the strike, supported from the air, operating beyond the capabilities of our units.”Mr Al-Muhammadawi explained that Iraqi soldiers were sent out to investigate the reports of unexplained military activity in the area.“We received reports of individuals or movement in the Najaf desert, near the borders of Karbala,” he said at the time, according to The New Region.“A force comprised of three regiments from the Karbala Operations Command was deployed to investigate.“The force came under heavy aerial fire, resulting in the death of one fighter and injuries to two others.”The incident was widely reported in Iraqi and Arab media, but the identity of those who launched the attack in the Najaf desert was not known at the time.Iraq’s western desert region is sparsely populated and made an ideal location for an outpost, strategic advisory firm boss Michael Knights told the Journal.US and allied forces used the same area for bases during the two campaigns against Saddam Hussein in 1991 and 2003.The revelation provides more insight into how Israel was able to wage air raids on Iran, a country more than 1600km away.Israeli officials have alluded to covert operations during the war. In early March, the head of the Israeli air force, Tomer Bar, issued a letter to his servicemen.“These days, fighters from special units of the air force are conducting special missions which could ignite the imagination,” he wrote, who ended his term as air force chief in early May. – with the Wall Street Journal.