Netanyahu hints at Israeli role in Iraq blasts
Netanyahu hints at Israeli role in Iraq blasts
Israel's prime minister hinted at a possible Israeli role in a series of blasts in Iraq.
2 min read
Netanyahu hinted at an Israeli role in the Iraq blasts [Getty]
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinted on Thursday at an Israeli role in a series of blasts on Iran-linked militia bases in Iraq.
Netanyahu responded to a question on Channel 9 about allegations that Israel was involved in airstrikes on bases belonging to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) or Hashd al-Shaabi.
"We are operating - not just if needed, we are operating in many areas against a state that wants to annihilate us. Of course I gave the security forces a free hand and instructed them to do anything necessary to thwart Iran's plans," he told the Israeli channel, according to Reuters.
The agency said Netanyahu did not name Iraq, despite earlier reports from Israeli media that he did.
On Wednesday, a leading official in the PMF said that four Israeli drones entered Iraq with US forces to carry out the attacks.
This allegation was quickly retracted from the leader of the PMF, Faleh al-Fayyadh.
"Preliminary investigations" found the incidents were "an external, premeditated act," he said, not mentioning the US.
Iraq Report: Suspected Israeli airstrikes worry Iraqi politicians
Fayyadh said Muhandis' comments "does not represent the Hashd's official position".
The series of explosions have also been blamed on Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinting that his country was behind the attacks.
Israeli media have shows satellite images of Al-Balad airbase near Baghdad and a series of PMF bases along the road to Syria.
Tehran is thought to be establishing a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon, via Iraq and Syria, and the strikes appear to correspondent with this alleged supply route.
Iran has a strong military or militia presence in Iraq and Syria and backs Lebanese movement Hizballah.
Israel has carried out a series of air strikes on Tehran-run militias in Syria and warned it would hit Iranian military bases elsewhere in the region.
The PMF is mostly made up of former Shia militias that fought the US during their occupation from 2003.
They were later mobilised - along with Christian, Sunni and Kurdish militias - to fight the Islamic State group following a jihadi takeover of northern Iraq in 2014.
The PMF were officially exluded by Baghdad from the battles for major cities, fearing retaliation against the Sunni civilian population, but the militia coalition is part of the Iraqi armed forces.
Netanyahu responded to a question on Channel 9 about allegations that Israel was involved in airstrikes on bases belonging to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) or Hashd al-Shaabi.
"We are operating - not just if needed, we are operating in many areas against a state that wants to annihilate us. Of course I gave the security forces a free hand and instructed them to do anything necessary to thwart Iran's plans," he told the Israeli channel, according to Reuters.
The agency said Netanyahu did not name Iraq, despite earlier reports from Israeli media that he did.
On Wednesday, a leading official in the PMF said that four Israeli drones entered Iraq with US forces to carry out the attacks.
This allegation was quickly retracted from the leader of the PMF, Faleh al-Fayyadh.
"Preliminary investigations" found the incidents were "an external, premeditated act," he said, not mentioning the US.
Iraq Report: Suspected Israeli airstrikes worry Iraqi politicians
Fayyadh said Muhandis' comments "does not represent the Hashd's official position".
The series of explosions have also been blamed on Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinting that his country was behind the attacks.
Israeli media have shows satellite images of Al-Balad airbase near Baghdad and a series of PMF bases along the road to Syria.
Tehran is thought to be establishing a land corridor from Iran to Lebanon, via Iraq and Syria, and the strikes appear to correspondent with this alleged supply route.
Iran has a strong military or militia presence in Iraq and Syria and backs Lebanese movement Hizballah.
Israel has carried out a series of air strikes on Tehran-run militias in Syria and warned it would hit Iranian military bases elsewhere in the region.
The PMF is mostly made up of former Shia militias that fought the US during their occupation from 2003.
They were later mobilised - along with Christian, Sunni and Kurdish militias - to fight the Islamic State group following a jihadi takeover of northern Iraq in 2014.
The PMF were officially exluded by Baghdad from the battles for major cities, fearing retaliation against the Sunni civilian population, but the militia coalition is part of the Iraqi armed forces.
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