Iraq Suspects Israeli Strikes on Chinese Missile Warehouses

Iraq suspects that Israel attacked two sites storing Chinese-made shoulder-fired missiles last week, according to a report by the Saudi newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat." Sources told the paper that the strike targeted a large shipment of Chinese-made shoulder-fired missiles and air defense systems that arrived from Iran and was intended for pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. One source indicated that the militias chose the storage location believing it would be difficult to find, and it is estimated the missiles were attacked shortly after arriving at the site. Intelligence assessments suggest that the United States and Israel may have already begun a new military operation against Iran without official announcement, currently focusing on Iraqi territory. In October, Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi, the umbrella organization for Shiite militias in Iraq, announced that its forces were working to extinguish a fire that broke out following an ammunition depot explosion in the Baghdad area. A senior Iraqi government official told the newspaper that the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Another source revealed that this is the latest in a series of explosions that began in early October, affecting depots of various militias across the capital, including those storing attack and reconnaissance drones. According to sources, several Iraqi militias have been working in recent weeks to transfer air defense systems and drones from Iran to Iraq, storing them in facilities they own. Militia affiliates added that they exploited the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran to reorganize and acquire strategic weapons. A senior official in Iraq's security system stated that the country has a solid basis to assess that Israel is behind the attacks, although the exact method of execution is not yet clear. Iraqi officials believe that the renewal of hostilities between Iran and the US and Israel is expected to begin with a severe blow to the capabilities of pro-Iranian militias in the country, a move they believe has already commenced. Additionally, one official noted that officers from the Revolutionary Guards have ordered militia commanders to raise their alert status in an attempt to establish a defense line against fighter jets.