Shafaq News- Najaf

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said Wednesday that its forces conducted a field survey of a strike site in the Najaf desert that it described as an “American-Israeli” attack targeting a local civilian, days after reports emerged alleging the existence of a secret Israeli military site in western Iraq.

In a statement, the PMF media directorate said a force inspected the site in the Shannana area of the Najaf desert where citizen Awad Hadi Al-Zakroti and his vehicle were reportedly targeted. The statement included video footage showing security personnel examining the site and a burned vehicle allegedly belonging to Al-Zakroti, without providing further details about the incident.

The development follows a recent report by The Wall Street Journal claiming Israel had established a covert military position in Iraq’s desert to support aerial operations against Iran. According to the report, the site was used for logistical and military purposes and was nearly discovered earlier after Iraqi shepherd Awad Hadi Al-Zakroti reportedly entered the area by chance and was later targeted.

Iraq’s Joint Operations Command previously denied the presence of unauthorized foreign forces or military equipment in the area, stating that Iraqi forces carried out extensive search operations in the Karbala and Najaf deserts without finding evidence of such activity.