25 aug 2019
IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani
IRGC Quds Force Commander has downplayed the recent Israeli attacks on a number of positions in regional countries, saying the "insane operations" were Tel Aviv's last struggles.
"There is no doubt that these insane operations will be the last struggles of the Zionist regime," Major General Qassem Soleimani said, according to a Twitter account attributed to him.
General Soleimani was apparently referring to recent Israeli attacks against Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, which Tel Aviv claims are aimed at targeting "Iranian" positions.
On Saturday night, Israel launched air raids against targets near the Syrian capital city of Damascus. The Israeli military claimed its strikes had prevented an attack on the Israeli-occupied territories “using killer drones.”
In a statement issued just minutes after the Israeli army announced its attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the military’s “major operational effort.”
Iran, however, dismissed as mere “lies” the claim that "Iranian" targets have been hit by the Israeli attacks.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also said Sunday that Israeli missiles targeted one of Hezbollah’s civilian structures in the Damascus outskirts in Syria, dismissing Israeli officials’ allegations that the projectiles had hit an Iranian site there.
Nasrallah noted that two Lebanese resistance fighters were killed in the missile strike, stressing that “Hezbollah will respond in kind in case the Israeli military continues to target and kill resistance forces.”
The Hezbollah chief also warned Israel against violating the Lebanese airspace, one day after two Israeli drones crashed in a southern neighborhood of Beirut.
Hezbollah said the first drone had fallen on a building housing Hezbollah’s media office in Beirut’s Dahieh suburb. The second drone, which appeared to have been sent by Israel to search for the first one, had crashed in an empty plot nearby after being detonated in the air, it added.
Israel is also said to be behind a recent wave of air raids on positions of pro-government Iraqi forces.
Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki recently warned of a “strong response” if it is proven that the Israeli regime was behind the airstrikes in the country against the positions of pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).
Maliki, who is also secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party, said on Friday that if Israel continues to target Iraq, the country “will transform into a battle arena that drags in multiple countries, including Iran.”
Iran has frequently announced that it has no forces operating on the ground in Syria and has been only offering military advisory support to Syria at the request of the Damascus government to enable its army to speed up its gains on various fronts against terror outfits.
IRGC Quds Force Commander has downplayed the recent Israeli attacks on a number of positions in regional countries, saying the "insane operations" were Tel Aviv's last struggles.
"There is no doubt that these insane operations will be the last struggles of the Zionist regime," Major General Qassem Soleimani said, according to a Twitter account attributed to him.
General Soleimani was apparently referring to recent Israeli attacks against Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, which Tel Aviv claims are aimed at targeting "Iranian" positions.
On Saturday night, Israel launched air raids against targets near the Syrian capital city of Damascus. The Israeli military claimed its strikes had prevented an attack on the Israeli-occupied territories “using killer drones.”
In a statement issued just minutes after the Israeli army announced its attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the military’s “major operational effort.”
Iran, however, dismissed as mere “lies” the claim that "Iranian" targets have been hit by the Israeli attacks.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also said Sunday that Israeli missiles targeted one of Hezbollah’s civilian structures in the Damascus outskirts in Syria, dismissing Israeli officials’ allegations that the projectiles had hit an Iranian site there.
Nasrallah noted that two Lebanese resistance fighters were killed in the missile strike, stressing that “Hezbollah will respond in kind in case the Israeli military continues to target and kill resistance forces.”
The Hezbollah chief also warned Israel against violating the Lebanese airspace, one day after two Israeli drones crashed in a southern neighborhood of Beirut.
Hezbollah said the first drone had fallen on a building housing Hezbollah’s media office in Beirut’s Dahieh suburb. The second drone, which appeared to have been sent by Israel to search for the first one, had crashed in an empty plot nearby after being detonated in the air, it added.
Israel is also said to be behind a recent wave of air raids on positions of pro-government Iraqi forces.
Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki recently warned of a “strong response” if it is proven that the Israeli regime was behind the airstrikes in the country against the positions of pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).
Maliki, who is also secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party, said on Friday that if Israel continues to target Iraq, the country “will transform into a battle arena that drags in multiple countries, including Iran.”
Iran has frequently announced that it has no forces operating on the ground in Syria and has been only offering military advisory support to Syria at the request of the Damascus government to enable its army to speed up its gains on various fronts against terror outfits.
|
|
A commentator and journalist tells Press TV that Israeli attacks against regional countries are part of the Tel Aviv regime’s attempts to rupture the Middle East.
Syed Mohsin Abbas was speaking on The Debate program from Tehran on Saturday following the Israeli regime’s bombing of positions apparently belonging to Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). The PMU said it held the United States and Israel responsible for the bombing. The Israeli regime has also attacked positions belonging to the Syrian military and its allies, which have been fighting against foreign-sponsored militancy and terrorism. |
In attacking Iraq, Tel Aviv claimed it had stricken a “weapons depot” in an attempt to “stop Iran influence.”
The Islamic Republic has been assisting both Iraq and Syria’s counter-terrorism activities by providing them with advisory military support but has rejected allegations maintaining any forces in either of the Arab countries.
Abbas called Tel Aviv effectively a “licensed rogue” regime, “which actually goes out and does any kind of indiscriminate bombing that it wants.”
He identified the attacks on Iraq as Tel Aviv’s attempt “to continue the destabilization… the balkanization of the Middle East.”
“It (Israel) has a complete sanction from the US primarily, which would veto any vote against Israel’s actions in the United Nations,” he added.
Maxine Dovere, an analyst and journalist from New York, who was also being hosted on the program, however, said Israel was obliged to carry out such strikes “when these dumps (the targets) are storage houses for weapons” that she said “will be intended to hurt the citizens of Israel.”
Abbas said, though, that there was no evidence that the targets were necessarily ammo warehouses or that they were to be used against the regime.
The Islamic Republic has been assisting both Iraq and Syria’s counter-terrorism activities by providing them with advisory military support but has rejected allegations maintaining any forces in either of the Arab countries.
Abbas called Tel Aviv effectively a “licensed rogue” regime, “which actually goes out and does any kind of indiscriminate bombing that it wants.”
He identified the attacks on Iraq as Tel Aviv’s attempt “to continue the destabilization… the balkanization of the Middle East.”
“It (Israel) has a complete sanction from the US primarily, which would veto any vote against Israel’s actions in the United Nations,” he added.
Maxine Dovere, an analyst and journalist from New York, who was also being hosted on the program, however, said Israel was obliged to carry out such strikes “when these dumps (the targets) are storage houses for weapons” that she said “will be intended to hurt the citizens of Israel.”
Abbas said, though, that there was no evidence that the targets were necessarily ammo warehouses or that they were to be used against the regime.
|
|
Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah says it has shot down two Israeli drones flying over areas near the capital Beirut.
Hezbollah said in statements early on Sunday that its rockets had downed the drones flying over Dhahyeh region, a suburb south of Beirut. The group said one of the drones fell in Dhahyeh and the second drone exploded near the ground in another nearby suburb. The statements came after people in southern Beirut reported hearing large explosions. Hezbollah’s shooting down of the drones came just hours after Israeli forces tried to hit targets in Damascus in neighboring Syria. Syrian military said the attacks were unsuccessful and that its air defense systems had intercepted the Israeli missiles. |
The Israeli regime said the attacks had inflicted damage on targets related to Iran and its allied militia, clearly a reference to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has been assisting the Syrian government in its years-long fight against terrorism in the Arab country.
However, it has denied claims it is fighting for Iran in Syria, saying the mission is meant to prevent a spillover of militancy into Lebanon.
There was no immediate reaction from Israel on Hezbollah’s downing of drones in southern Beirut.
The Tel Aviv regime has been cautious over the past years in its military encounters with Hezbollah, a group which seeks a total eviction of Israel from the occupied Palestinian territories.
It was not also clear whether Hezbollah’s downing of the Israeli drones was a swift attempt to respond to Israeli attacks in southern Damascus late on Saturday.
Hezbollah has previously accused Israel of supporting terrorist groups fighting against the Syrian government.
The Lebanese group has provided evidences suggesting that the regime in occupied Palestinian territories have transferred weapons to strongholds of terrorists in Syria.
Hezbollah has been assisting the Syrian government in its years-long fight against terrorism in the Arab country.
However, it has denied claims it is fighting for Iran in Syria, saying the mission is meant to prevent a spillover of militancy into Lebanon.
There was no immediate reaction from Israel on Hezbollah’s downing of drones in southern Beirut.
The Tel Aviv regime has been cautious over the past years in its military encounters with Hezbollah, a group which seeks a total eviction of Israel from the occupied Palestinian territories.
It was not also clear whether Hezbollah’s downing of the Israeli drones was a swift attempt to respond to Israeli attacks in southern Damascus late on Saturday.
Hezbollah has previously accused Israel of supporting terrorist groups fighting against the Syrian government.
The Lebanese group has provided evidences suggesting that the regime in occupied Palestinian territories have transferred weapons to strongholds of terrorists in Syria.
Syrian army’s air defense systems have intercepted Israeli missiles flying above Damascus before they could inflict damage on targets in the capital city.
The state news agency SANA said in a report late on Saturday that the ‘hostile targets’ were dealt with efficiently before they could reach their destinations south of Damascus. video
The report said the missiles had been fired from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, adding that most of them had been downed in southern Damascus.
“At 23:30 (local time) our air defense forces detected hostile targets coming from the Golan towards the boundaries of Damascus,” said the report, adding, “The aggression was dealt with efficiently and as of now most of the hostile Israeli missiles have been destroyed before reaching their targets.”
The report came after witnesses said they had heard and saw explosions in the sky of Damascus.
An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the regime was behind the attacks, saying they had been meant to reach “Iranian” targets in Syria.
Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus claimed that the Israeli attacks had managed to inflict significant damage in Damascus.
However, the Syrian military denied the claims, saying the majority of the Israeli missiles had been destroyed.
Israel has launched recurrent attacks on Syria in defiance of all international laws and regulations. The regime claims the attacks are targeted at certain militia forces linked to Iran.
Syria has condemned the attacks while rejecting Israeli claims about the presence of any Iranian forces or their allied militia in the country.
The Israeli attacks come as Syrian military forces are taking back control of more territories from terrorists.
Israel, believed to be a sympathizer of terrorism in Syria for the post eight years, has been unhappy at the progress made by the Syria army and allies east of the country.
The state news agency SANA said in a report late on Saturday that the ‘hostile targets’ were dealt with efficiently before they could reach their destinations south of Damascus. video
The report said the missiles had been fired from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, adding that most of them had been downed in southern Damascus.
“At 23:30 (local time) our air defense forces detected hostile targets coming from the Golan towards the boundaries of Damascus,” said the report, adding, “The aggression was dealt with efficiently and as of now most of the hostile Israeli missiles have been destroyed before reaching their targets.”
The report came after witnesses said they had heard and saw explosions in the sky of Damascus.
An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the regime was behind the attacks, saying they had been meant to reach “Iranian” targets in Syria.
Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus claimed that the Israeli attacks had managed to inflict significant damage in Damascus.
However, the Syrian military denied the claims, saying the majority of the Israeli missiles had been destroyed.
Israel has launched recurrent attacks on Syria in defiance of all international laws and regulations. The regime claims the attacks are targeted at certain militia forces linked to Iran.
Syria has condemned the attacks while rejecting Israeli claims about the presence of any Iranian forces or their allied militia in the country.
The Israeli attacks come as Syrian military forces are taking back control of more territories from terrorists.
Israel, believed to be a sympathizer of terrorism in Syria for the post eight years, has been unhappy at the progress made by the Syria army and allies east of the country.
23 aug 2019
In this file photo, members of the Iraqi pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (Hashd al-Sha’abi) gesture from the modern town of Hatra southwest of the northern city of Mosul
Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki has warned of a “strong response” if it is proven that the Israeli regime was behind recent airstrikes in the country against the positions of pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).
Maliki, who is also secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party, said on Friday that if Israel continues to target Iraq, the country “will transform into a battle arena that drags in multiple countries, including Iran.”
He added that “the security of the region, which Iraq is a key part of, is a collective issue, and its protection requires the (full) responsibility of all countries.”
“The security of the region will be put in danger and the status quo will change if it is proven that Israel has targeted the sovereignty of Iraq. Iraq will give a strong response in case it is verified that Israel's hand is behind the recent attacks,” the former Iraqi prime minister said.
Also on Friday, Karim Alaiwi, a member of the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, told Iraq’s Arabic-language al-Ahad television network that “the Iraqi government’s position on targeting the PMU headquarters is vague and unclear.”
He added that Thursday’s meeting between Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, President Barham Salih and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi in the capital Baghdad to discuss the latest attacks on the bases of the Popular Mobilization Units did not bear fruit as it failed to assure the nation that such assault would not be repeated again.
Separately, the Iraqi National Security Council convened a session on Friday to discuss plans and measures aimed at arming the country’s air defense command in the face of recent challenges.
The Council ruled that the Baghdad government bears responsibility for protecting all types of military forces, including Hashd al-Sha’abi.
Moreover, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim summoned Deputy Chief of the US Embassy in Baghdad Brian McFeeters to call on Washington to abide by the terms of its strategic partnership agreement with Iraq as regards joint security and economic cooperation.
Hakim highlighted that the Baghdad government places all diplomatic and legal options at the forefront of its priorities to prevent any external interference in its internal affairs, and to safeguard the security and sovereignty of Iraq and its people.
On Wednesday, the second-in-command of the Popular Mobilization Units, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, held the United States fully responsible for recent attacks on the volunteer forces.
He said in a statement that the US, which has contributed to the emergence of terrorist groups in the Middle East, is now considering various ways to violate Iraq’s sovereignty and targeting the PMU.
“We have accurate and credible information that Americans brought in four Israeli drones this year via Azerbaijan to operate within the US fleet to carry out sorties aimed at Iraqi military headquarters. We also have other information, maps and recordings of all types of American aircraft, when they took off, when they landed and the number of hours they flew,” Muhandis (pictured below) said.
Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki has warned of a “strong response” if it is proven that the Israeli regime was behind recent airstrikes in the country against the positions of pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU).
Maliki, who is also secretary-general of the Islamic Dawa Party, said on Friday that if Israel continues to target Iraq, the country “will transform into a battle arena that drags in multiple countries, including Iran.”
He added that “the security of the region, which Iraq is a key part of, is a collective issue, and its protection requires the (full) responsibility of all countries.”
“The security of the region will be put in danger and the status quo will change if it is proven that Israel has targeted the sovereignty of Iraq. Iraq will give a strong response in case it is verified that Israel's hand is behind the recent attacks,” the former Iraqi prime minister said.
Also on Friday, Karim Alaiwi, a member of the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, told Iraq’s Arabic-language al-Ahad television network that “the Iraqi government’s position on targeting the PMU headquarters is vague and unclear.”
He added that Thursday’s meeting between Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, President Barham Salih and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi in the capital Baghdad to discuss the latest attacks on the bases of the Popular Mobilization Units did not bear fruit as it failed to assure the nation that such assault would not be repeated again.
Separately, the Iraqi National Security Council convened a session on Friday to discuss plans and measures aimed at arming the country’s air defense command in the face of recent challenges.
The Council ruled that the Baghdad government bears responsibility for protecting all types of military forces, including Hashd al-Sha’abi.
Moreover, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim summoned Deputy Chief of the US Embassy in Baghdad Brian McFeeters to call on Washington to abide by the terms of its strategic partnership agreement with Iraq as regards joint security and economic cooperation.
Hakim highlighted that the Baghdad government places all diplomatic and legal options at the forefront of its priorities to prevent any external interference in its internal affairs, and to safeguard the security and sovereignty of Iraq and its people.
On Wednesday, the second-in-command of the Popular Mobilization Units, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, held the United States fully responsible for recent attacks on the volunteer forces.
He said in a statement that the US, which has contributed to the emergence of terrorist groups in the Middle East, is now considering various ways to violate Iraq’s sovereignty and targeting the PMU.
“We have accurate and credible information that Americans brought in four Israeli drones this year via Azerbaijan to operate within the US fleet to carry out sorties aimed at Iraqi military headquarters. We also have other information, maps and recordings of all types of American aircraft, when they took off, when they landed and the number of hours they flew,” Muhandis (pictured below) said.
“Instead of chasing Daesh terrorists, US military aircraft are collecting information and data concerning the brigades of the Popular Mobilization Units, and their warehouses and arms depots,” the statement read.
Sayf al-Badr, spokesman of the Iraqi Health Ministry, said in a statement that at least one person was killed and 29 others were wounded in a powerful explosion, which rocked a military base in southern Baghdad on August 12.
An unnamed source from Iraq’s Interior Ministry said an ammunition warehouse exploded inside a federal police military base, named Falcon, in Owerij area near the southern district of Doura.
Arabic-language al-Ahad TV television network reported on July 19 that a drone had dropped explosives onto a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Units near the town of Amerli, located about 170 kilometers north of the capital, in the early hours of the day, killing at least one PMU fighter and injuring four others.
Video footage broadcast by Iraqi channels showed a blaze burning at the site and plumes of thick smoke billowing. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Additionally, the Iraqi al-Etejah television network reported that an American B350 reconnaissance plane had flown over the area a few days earlier.
Sayf al-Badr, spokesman of the Iraqi Health Ministry, said in a statement that at least one person was killed and 29 others were wounded in a powerful explosion, which rocked a military base in southern Baghdad on August 12.
An unnamed source from Iraq’s Interior Ministry said an ammunition warehouse exploded inside a federal police military base, named Falcon, in Owerij area near the southern district of Doura.
Arabic-language al-Ahad TV television network reported on July 19 that a drone had dropped explosives onto a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Units near the town of Amerli, located about 170 kilometers north of the capital, in the early hours of the day, killing at least one PMU fighter and injuring four others.
Video footage broadcast by Iraqi channels showed a blaze burning at the site and plumes of thick smoke billowing. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Additionally, the Iraqi al-Etejah television network reported that an American B350 reconnaissance plane had flown over the area a few days earlier.
The aftermath of an airstrike on a weapons depot in Iraq
New York Times says 'cargo of guided missiles with a range of 125 miles' was destroyed in July 19 airstrike on base used by Revolutionary Guards to transfer arms to Syria
Israel conducted at least one airstrike on a weapons depot in Iraq that American officials say was used by Iran to transfer weapons to Syria, the New York Times reported late Thursday.
The report cited Middle Eastern and American officials.
A series of blasts in the past few weeks have hit weapon depots and bases belonging to paramilitary groups in Iraq, many of them backed by Israel's regional foe Iran.
The groups blamed the United States and Israel for the blasts on Wednesday.
The Times specifies a July 19 attack on a base near Baghdad that an unnamed "Middle East intelligence official" said was used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to move the weapons. The attack, which was reportedly launched from inside Iraq, destroyed "a cargo of guided missiles with a range of 125 miles."
The report said that an Iraqi military official confirmed a base was hit, killing three people – including one Iranian.
The NYT quoted a senior American official as saying that "Israel was pushing the limits" by striking targets in Iraq and that such action could result the U.S. Army having to leave its bases in the country.
The Iraqi government on Thursday avoided attributing the strikes to any country, with Iraqi national security adviser Falih al-Fayadh saying Baghdad did not wish to take sides in any conflict between Iran and other countries.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted Thursday of possible Israeli involvement in attacks against Iranian-linked targets in Iraq.
In an interview with Russian-language Israeli television Channel 9, broadcast on Thursday, Netanyahu was asked whether Israel would operate against Iranian targets in Iraq if needed, he said:
"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."
Netanyahu did not directly name Iraq as one of those areas.
Israel says it has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, some of them against Iranian targets, to prevent Teheran from establishing a permanent military presence there and to stop advanced weapons reaching its proxies in the area.
Israeli officials suggested recently they viewed Iraq, whose main ally is Iran, as more of a threat than in recent years, but have not directly commented on the recent blasts at Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) sites in Iraq.
On Wednesday, the PMF, the umbrella grouping of Iraq's mostly Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary groups, said the United States had allowed four Israeli drones to enter the region accompanying U.S. forces and carry out missions on Iraqi territory.
The Pentagon denied involvement.
The U.S.-led coalition, in Iraq to fight remnants of the Islamic State group, dismissed the statement.
As tensions between Washington and Tehran increase, Iraq finds itself caught between neighboring Iran, whose regional influence has grown in recent years, and the United States.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi last week ordered all ammunition dumps belonging to the armed forces or paramilitary groups to be moved outside of cities.
New York Times says 'cargo of guided missiles with a range of 125 miles' was destroyed in July 19 airstrike on base used by Revolutionary Guards to transfer arms to Syria
Israel conducted at least one airstrike on a weapons depot in Iraq that American officials say was used by Iran to transfer weapons to Syria, the New York Times reported late Thursday.
The report cited Middle Eastern and American officials.
A series of blasts in the past few weeks have hit weapon depots and bases belonging to paramilitary groups in Iraq, many of them backed by Israel's regional foe Iran.
The groups blamed the United States and Israel for the blasts on Wednesday.
The Times specifies a July 19 attack on a base near Baghdad that an unnamed "Middle East intelligence official" said was used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to move the weapons. The attack, which was reportedly launched from inside Iraq, destroyed "a cargo of guided missiles with a range of 125 miles."
The report said that an Iraqi military official confirmed a base was hit, killing three people – including one Iranian.
The NYT quoted a senior American official as saying that "Israel was pushing the limits" by striking targets in Iraq and that such action could result the U.S. Army having to leave its bases in the country.
The Iraqi government on Thursday avoided attributing the strikes to any country, with Iraqi national security adviser Falih al-Fayadh saying Baghdad did not wish to take sides in any conflict between Iran and other countries.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted Thursday of possible Israeli involvement in attacks against Iranian-linked targets in Iraq.
In an interview with Russian-language Israeli television Channel 9, broadcast on Thursday, Netanyahu was asked whether Israel would operate against Iranian targets in Iraq if needed, he said:
"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."
Netanyahu did not directly name Iraq as one of those areas.
Israel says it has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, some of them against Iranian targets, to prevent Teheran from establishing a permanent military presence there and to stop advanced weapons reaching its proxies in the area.
Israeli officials suggested recently they viewed Iraq, whose main ally is Iran, as more of a threat than in recent years, but have not directly commented on the recent blasts at Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) sites in Iraq.
On Wednesday, the PMF, the umbrella grouping of Iraq's mostly Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary groups, said the United States had allowed four Israeli drones to enter the region accompanying U.S. forces and carry out missions on Iraqi territory.
The Pentagon denied involvement.
The U.S.-led coalition, in Iraq to fight remnants of the Islamic State group, dismissed the statement.
As tensions between Washington and Tehran increase, Iraq finds itself caught between neighboring Iran, whose regional influence has grown in recent years, and the United States.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi last week ordered all ammunition dumps belonging to the armed forces or paramilitary groups to be moved outside of cities.
An Israeli Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter takes part in a military exercise at the Hatzerim base in the Negev desert on June 27, 2019
The Israeli military is planning to attack Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement, a new report says, a move that is claimed to be part of the Tel Aviv regime's attempts to ensure the group never comes in contact with Iran.
The Kuwaiti newspaper al-Jaridah said Thursday that Israel was gearing up to pound targets of the Ansarullah and Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement in Yemen, near the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb separating the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden.
The report claimed that the Israeli spy agency Mossad as well as the regime's Military Intelligence were specifically looking for alleged attempts to deliver weapons from Iran.
It further claimed that some of the Houthis' drones and missiles had been transferred to Iraq instead in an alleged attempt to mislead the Israeli military, which is said to be behind a series of bombings that have targeted Iraqi popular mobilization forces, Hashd al-Sha'abi, over the past weeks.
According to al-Jarida and some Iraqi experts, the attacks on the group's ammunition depots across Iraq have been carried out by Israel.
This falls in line with remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not reject a reporter's questions about whether Tel Aviv was operating in Iraq .
"We are working against Iranian consolidation - in Iraq as well," he said in an interview with Israel's Channel 9 News broadcast on Thursday.
On Tuesday, several powerful explosions rocked an ammunition warehouse next to Balad air base, which hosts US forces and contractors north of the capital Baghdad.
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, second-in-command of the Hashd al-Sha'abi, said after the attacks that the United States and Israel were responsible for the attacks.
“We have accurate and credible information that Americans brought in four Israeli drones this year via Azerbaijan to operate within the US fleet to carry out sorties aimed at Iraqi military headquarters" he said.
Karim Alaiwi, a member of the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, also accused Israel of carrying out the attacks in an attempt to "weaken the force."
The al-Jaridah's sources confirmed to the paper that Israel was sharing military intelligence and target with Arab states that have ports in the region.
The US had also been informed on the operations and was closely following latest developments about the alleged weapons shipments.
Iran, earlier this month, hosted a Houthi delegation who met with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and delivered a letter from the group's movement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
Tehran and the Houthis, however, have rejected claims of Iran transferring weapons to Yemem, arguing that such shipments are virtually impossible due to a years-long aerial and maritime blockade on Yemen by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that have been leading a deadly war against the impoverished country since March 2015.
The Israeli military is planning to attack Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement, a new report says, a move that is claimed to be part of the Tel Aviv regime's attempts to ensure the group never comes in contact with Iran.
The Kuwaiti newspaper al-Jaridah said Thursday that Israel was gearing up to pound targets of the Ansarullah and Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement in Yemen, near the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb separating the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden.
The report claimed that the Israeli spy agency Mossad as well as the regime's Military Intelligence were specifically looking for alleged attempts to deliver weapons from Iran.
It further claimed that some of the Houthis' drones and missiles had been transferred to Iraq instead in an alleged attempt to mislead the Israeli military, which is said to be behind a series of bombings that have targeted Iraqi popular mobilization forces, Hashd al-Sha'abi, over the past weeks.
According to al-Jarida and some Iraqi experts, the attacks on the group's ammunition depots across Iraq have been carried out by Israel.
This falls in line with remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not reject a reporter's questions about whether Tel Aviv was operating in Iraq .
"We are working against Iranian consolidation - in Iraq as well," he said in an interview with Israel's Channel 9 News broadcast on Thursday.
On Tuesday, several powerful explosions rocked an ammunition warehouse next to Balad air base, which hosts US forces and contractors north of the capital Baghdad.
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, second-in-command of the Hashd al-Sha'abi, said after the attacks that the United States and Israel were responsible for the attacks.
“We have accurate and credible information that Americans brought in four Israeli drones this year via Azerbaijan to operate within the US fleet to carry out sorties aimed at Iraqi military headquarters" he said.
Karim Alaiwi, a member of the Security and Defense Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, also accused Israel of carrying out the attacks in an attempt to "weaken the force."
The al-Jaridah's sources confirmed to the paper that Israel was sharing military intelligence and target with Arab states that have ports in the region.
The US had also been informed on the operations and was closely following latest developments about the alleged weapons shipments.
Iran, earlier this month, hosted a Houthi delegation who met with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and delivered a letter from the group's movement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.
Tehran and the Houthis, however, have rejected claims of Iran transferring weapons to Yemem, arguing that such shipments are virtually impossible due to a years-long aerial and maritime blockade on Yemen by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that have been leading a deadly war against the impoverished country since March 2015.
