Iraqi forces swept the country's desert areas after being placed on high alert following reports that Israeli troops had operated inside the country during the Middle East war.Early in the war, which was ignited by joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, foreign troops were detected in the Najaf desert in the country's southwest.Security officials and witnesses told AFP that a shepherd, who was the first to spot the troops, was killed when a helicopter struck his pickup.

Report says one of the bases ‘predates current conflict’, also used during 2025 Iran war

A chance discovery ends in death and exposes covert Israeli operations deep inside Iraqi territory