Unexplained recent "airborne landings" in remote western Iraqi deserts have led to ongoing investigations. Although Baghdad filed a formal complaint with the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State group, the coalition claims that US forces were not involved in these operations.
Iraqi lawmaker Mohammed Jassim al-Khafaji wrote on Facebook that an army reconnaissance unit sent to investigate the incident came under fire from the air.
Al-Khafaji said the unit, made up of about 30 Humvees, went to check the reported landing site but was hit by airstrikes, causing one death and several injuries. He claimed US forces, with helicopters and ground troops, took part in the attack.
Lt. Gen. Qais al-Mohammadawi, deputy commander of Iraq's Joint Operations Command, confirmed that Baghdad sent a protest letter to the international coalition about the incident in the Nukhayb desert in Anbar province.
Al-Mohammadawi said the Iraqi unit investigating the landing came under heavy aerial gunfire, leaving one dead and two injured. At dawn, reinforcements, including two counter-terrorism regiments, searched the area but found no sign of the reported force.
He stressed that no foreign force had permission to operate there and suggested a unit might have been helping another group with reconnaissance or equipment. He called the operation a "treacherous and cowardly act" done without Iraqi approval.
Possible Israeli role
Political analysts say Iraqi territory has become more vulnerable to foreign operations after recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Reports suggest that there were two separate landings: one in the Nukhayb Desert in Anbar Province and another in the desert of Samawah Province. After US forces denied involvement following Baghdad's complaint, suspicion has shifted more toward Israel.
Several theories have come up about the operation's purpose. Some sources think intelligence agents may have been sent in, while others believe it could have been an assassination unit with high-performance motorcycles. Analysts also suggest Islamic State operatives might have been deployed to cause confusion and disrupt security.
The Joint Operations Command statement did not name those behind the landing but noted that suspicion was directed at Israel. Analysts suggested the operation might have aimed to monitor armed groups and track drone launches from Iraq.
The government reportedly learned about the incident after a resident alerted authorities. The unidentified force then targeted the Iraqi unit sent to investigate.
Conflicting accounts
The Iraqi government has not revealed who was behind the alleged airborne landings or what steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents.
This uncertainty has raised serious concerns about Iraq's ability to monitor and secure its large desert areas as regional tensions rise.
Iraqi journalist Othman al-Mukhtar has challenged the main story, claiming that the alleged airborne landing in the Nukhayb desert appears to be fabricated.
After a three-day investigation with colleagues, Mukhtar said interviews with local tribal sources and a security officer found no evidence of any foreign airdrop. A site inspection also found no signs typically associated with airborne operations, such as landing markers, parachute debris, or helicopter activity.
Forensic reports showed the Iraqi soldiers were hit by 7.62mm Kalashnikov rounds, with no sign of US or other foreign ammunition.
Mukhtar concluded that the most likely explanation is that an Iraqi army patrol was mistakenly shot at by an armed militia in the area, and that the story of a foreign airdrop spread without proper verification.