Baghdad Officials Suspect Israeli Role in Recent Warehouse Explosions

Regional tensions remain high as Baghdad grapples with a series of unexplained blasts. Officials in the capital now suspect that Israel carried out recent attacks on two specific storage locations. These sites held shoulder-fired air defense systems of Chinese origin. The equipment was reportedly supplied by Tehran to local groups aligned with Iran.

The assessment comes from sources cited by the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday. The report did not identify the exact model of the weapons involved. It also lacked hard evidence to back up the claims, and some details remain unverified. One insider noted that the armed group which selected the storage site considered it very difficult to detect or reach. The suspected strikes occurred shortly after the shipments arrived at both locations. The explosions took place last week.

The publication also highlighted a blast on October 17 at a Popular Mobilization Forces base. The PMF is an umbrella organization that includes many Iranian-backed militias. It also serves as a paramilitary force for the Iraqi government. Officials described that specific incident as an accident. The government promised a full investigation into the matter. The report stated that the explosion hit a stockpile of old ammunition at a headquarters in the East Canal area of Baghdad. Five people were injured in the event. An anonymous official said authorities were still examining the circumstances. No further updates have emerged despite the passage of more than a week.

Other insiders linked the mid-October event to an earlier incident on October 1. Warehouses connected to Iran-backed groups in and around Baghdad were affected then as well. Those stores reportedly contained drones designed for suicide missions and reconnaissance. A security official indicated that Iraqi authorities had not fully determined the nature of the strikes. However, they gathered enough evidence to believe Israel was responsible.

This is not the first time Iraqis have pointed to Israel. Local militias previously blamed the country for strikes in 2019 and an attack near the border in Syria. In May, media reports claimed Israel established a secret airstrip in Iraq during its campaign against Iran. There are also unconfirmed accounts of Israeli jets using Iraqi airspace with midair refueling support. Iran has armed these militias for years, often with missiles and drones that can threaten Israel. The groups launched many attacks after the war began in late 2023. Since US and Israeli airstrikes started in February, Iran has tried to turn Iraq into a frontline. It has carried out over 1,000 strikes on the Kurdistan Region. Iran and its allies have mounted 600 attacks across the country. The US withdrew its forces on September 30, a deadline agreed with Baghdad. Washington has warned Americans to avoid traveling to the capital.

The newspaper linked earlier reports of China supplying weapons to Iran with their movement to Iraq. That connection remains unconfirmed. Beijing’s Foreign Ministry denied those reports on July 28. In a related development, an Iran-backed militia attacked a Saudi pipeline with a drone from Iraq’s Maysan province. That border crossing has since closed due to US pressure and local concerns. The publication suggested these strikes mark a new round of conflict. A source in the Shi'ite Coordination Framework said leaders predicted renewed war would begin with the destruction of Iraqi factions' capabilities. Most major PMF groups, except the Badr Organization, are sanctioned by the US as terrorist organizations. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq also claimed that Iraqi airspace was being violated.