Baghdad Suspects Israel Targeted Chinese Air Defense Systems Held by Iraqi Factions
Sources said Baghdad suspects that two sites storing Chinese-made man-portable air defense systems were targeted in airstrikes last week, and an Iraqi government official said authorities were still examining the circumstances of an explosion at a PMF facility in Baghdad’s East Canal area. The PMF said on October 17 that a fire caused by an explosion at a stockpile of damaged ammunition had been contained, with five people sustaining minor injuries, and that an investigation was underway. A security official told Asharq Al-Awsat that authorities in Baghdad had sufficient grounds to believe Israel was behind the strikes on the warehouses, while an Iraqi official said the government did not yet possess conclusive information identifying those responsible.
Why it matters: The suspected strikes on weapons shipments to Iraqi factions make this a security matter, because they point to a possible covert campaign against Iran-aligned supply lines before any formally declared war.