Iraqi Officials Suspect Israel Behind Strikes on Chinese Air Defense Stockpiles

Two locations in Iraq were recently struck in what local authorities believe was an Israeli operation targeting shoulder-fired air defense systems of Chinese origin. The weapons, reportedly supplied by Tehran, were stored by Iranian-backed militias. This assessment comes from sources cited by the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, who claim the strikes occurred last week.

The timeline of these events suggests a rapid escalation. On October 1, warehouses linked to Iran-aligned groups in and around Baghdad were affected. These sites reportedly held drones intended for reconnaissance and suicide attacks. Then, on October 17, an explosion occurred at a Popular Mobilization Forces base in Baghdad's East Canal area. The PMF initially described the incident as an accident that injured five people, but the newspaper reported it hit a stockpile of obsolete ammunition. A week later, the two specific sites holding the air defense systems were hit.

Iraqi security officials have not publicly confirmed the nature of the strikes but stated they have sufficient evidence to attribute them to Israel. One source noted that the armed group responsible for the storage selection considered the sites very difficult to detect or reach. The timing of the attacks, which came shortly after the shipments arrived, supports this theory. However, the report acknowledged that some details remain unconfirmed and did not specify which exact Chinese system was involved.

This is not the first time Iraqi authorities have pointed to Israel. In 2019, militias blamed Israel for various strikes, including one in Albukamal, Syria. In May of this year, reports emerged that Israel established a secret airstrip in Iraq during its campaign against Iran. There are also unconfirmed accounts of Israeli fighter jets using Iraqi airspace near the Iranian border with the aid of midair refuelers.

The broader context involves a long-standing arms pipeline from Iran to Iraqi militias. These groups have conducted numerous attacks on Israel since the war began in late 2023. Since the US and Israel started airstrikes in February, Iran has attempted to turn Iraq into a frontline. This has included over 1,000 strikes on the Kurdistan Region and 600 attacks across Iraq, some targeting US diplomatic sites.

The US withdrew its forces from Iraq on September 30, a deadline previously agreed with Baghdad. Washington has since warned American citizens against traveling to Baghdad. The recent strikes may also link to earlier reports of China supplying weapons to Iran, a connection the newspaper described as plausible but unconfirmed. China's Foreign Ministry denied these supply reports on July 28.

Other developments include a drone attack on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, reportedly launched from Iraq's Maysan province. That border crossing has since been closed due to US pressure and Iraqi concerns about trafficking. The newspaper suggests these strikes signal a new round of conflict.

Within Iraq's political circles, leaders in the Shi'ite Coordination Framework have predicted that a renewed war between Washington and Tehran would begin with the destruction of Iraqi factions' capabilities. Most major groups in the PMF, excluding the Badr Organization, are sanctioned by the US as terrorist organizations. Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of militias, published a statement claiming that Iraqi airspace is being violated.