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2019 Israeli airstrikes in Iraq
Part of the Iran–Israel proxy conflict
Date July 19 – September 22, 2019 Location Iraq
Belligerents
Israel	PMF  Iran (IRGC)
Strength
F-35I Adir (Alleged by Israel) IAI Harop(alleged by Iran)	Unknown
Casualties and losses
None	47 killed 2 injured
1 civilian killed 29 civilians injured

The 2019 Israeli airstrikes in Iraq began as unidentified drone or aircraft bombings of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) bases in Iraq starting on 19 July 2019. The strikes targeted Iranian proxy groups, based in Iraq, as well as IRGC operatives.

Several Iraqi, Iranian and Israeli officials have blamed Israel for the attacks, though Israel had initially neither confirmed nor denied its role. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted responsibility for the attacks on 20 August 2019, claiming that "Iran is not immune anywhere". Israel confirmed responsibility for the strikes on 22 August 2019, which was later followed by a US confirmation.

Timeline

Amirli strike

On 19 July 2019 unidentified drones bombed a base belonging to the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces base in Iraq, close to the town of Amirli. An airstrike wounded two Iranians after it struck a base that housed advisers from Iran and Lebanon, while a second strike hit a weapons depot, causing a large fire and the destruction of several ballistic missiles. The US Central Command CENTCOM denied responsibility for the bombing.

Iran reported on July 30 that the attack had killed a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Abu Alfazl Sarabian.

Camp Ashraf strike

On 27 July 2019 Camp Ashraf, one of the biggest bases in Iraq, was attacked by what Iraqi military sources described as one or more Israeli Air Force jets. The attack struck a consignment of ballistic missile launchers and living quarters of IRGC officers and PMF personnel. Some sources reported that up to 40 people were killed in the attack. According to Iraqi and Iranian sources the attacks were carried out by Israeli F-35 aircraft.

Southern Baghdad strike

Explosions rocked a PMF weapons depot in southern Baghdad on 12 August killing one and injuring 29 civilians. A spokesman for Iraq's Interior Minister said that an examination of the warehouse showed that the explosion was not caused by an internal failure but by a third party that attacked the warehouse and caused a fire.

Iraq closed its airspace to all unauthorized flights on 13 August, including to the US coalition. Iraqi Prime Minister also ordered all military camps and munitions warehouses to be moved outside Iraqi cities following the explosions that killed one civilian and wounded 29.

30th Brigade's headquarters strike

On 17 August, unidentified warplanes targeted the 30th Brigade's headquarters, which is affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Balad strike

Blasts hit a PMF arms depot on 20 August close to the Balad Air Base. A PMF source said the arms depot was specifically targeted by an aerial bombardment.

Al-Qa'im

On 25 August 2019 a PMF convoy was hit by two drones near the Syrian–Iraqi border town of Al-Qa'im, killing six, including a senior commander. PMF blamed Israel for the attack. It came as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was making a speech in response to an alleged Israeli attack at their stronghold in Dahieh, Lebanon.

Hit strike

On 20 September, loud explosions were reported at a warehouse near the city of Hit in Anbar Province, northwest of Baghdad. Sky News Arabic reported that after the blast, shells were launched into neighboring areas, indicating an arms depot may have been hit. Al-Arabiya also reported that the warehouse was used to store weaponry and belonged to the Popular Mobilization Forces. al-Arabiya quoted an Iraqi officer claiming there was a drone in the area at the time of the explosions. As result of the explosions, 21 Iraqi militants of the Popular Mobilization Forces were killed.

Tafuf Brigade strike

On 22 September, violent explosions caused by airstrikes took place at a base belonging to "Liwa al-Tafuf" 13th Brigade of the Popular Mobilisation Units. An Iraqi security official told The New Arab that drones may have been used in the attack.

Responsibility

On 22 August 2019 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel had been carrying out operations against Iran in Iraq, saying "We are working against Iranian consolidation—in Iraq as well." US officials also confirmed that Israel was behind the attacks later in the day.

See also

• Operation Opera
• Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian civil war

References

1. "Netanyahu confirms Israeli military operating in Iraq". Archived from the original on 2019-08-23.
2. "In Major Shift, Israel Twice Struck Iranian Targets in Iraq 'Using F-35'". Archived from the original on 2019-08-22.
3. ^ Yeranian, Edward (July 19, 2019). "Drone Attack Hits Shiite Militia Base in Northern Iraq". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 2019-08-22.
4. Ahren, Raphael (20 August 2019). "Netanyahu hints Israel behind strikes on Iraq, says Iran not immune anywhere". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 2019-09-05.
5. ^ "Netanyahu Confirms Israel Acting Against Iran in Iraq". Homadia. Archived from the original on 2019-08-26.
6. ^ Tercatin, Rossella (23 August 2019). "American officials confirm Israel behind strikes in Iraq – report". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 2019-09-13.
7. "Drone targets base of Iran-backed militia in northern Iraq". Fox News. Archived from the original on 2019-07-24.
8. "Iran admits a Revolutionary Guard commander killed in an 'Israeli attack' in Iraq on July 19". Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 2019-08-20.
9. "Second Israeli attack on Iranian targets in E. Iraq reported by Iraqi sources". Archived from the original on 2019-08-22.
10. Joffre, Tzvi; Ahronheim, Anna (30 July 2019). "Report: Israel launched two attacks on Iranian targets in Iraq in July". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 2019-09-12.
11. Karam, Joyce (August 13, 2019). "Explosions at ammunition warehouse kill one and injure 29 in Baghdad". The National. Archived from the original on 2019-09-05.
12. "US and Israel are attacking Iranian targets in Iraq". Israel National News. Archived from the original on 2019-08-22.
13. Ari Gross, Judah; Rasgon, Adam (14 August 2019). "Satellite firm says images of bombed Iraqi site indicate it was hit in airstrike". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 2019-08-16.
14. "Iraq takes security measures following mysterious blasts blamed on Israel". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 2019-08-16.
15. "Iraq closes airspace even to US Coalition flights after suspected Israeli raid".
16. "Satellite firm says images of bombed Iraqi site indicate it was hit in airstrike". Archived from the original on 2019-09-01.
17. "Explosion rocks arms depot north of Iraq's Baghdad". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2019-09-13.
18. Bakria, Yasmine (26 August 2019). "As Hezbollah Leader Blasts Israel, Iran-backed Militias Struck on Iraq-Syria Border". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2019-08-26.
19. "Iraq paramilitary: Israel behind drone attack near Syria border". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 2019-08-26.
20. "Blasts reported at Iraqi warehouse allegedly used by Iran-backed militia". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 2019-12-06.
21. Khoury, Jack (September 10, 2019). "Report: 21 Iraqi Militia Members Killed in Explosion in Iran-linked Arms Depot". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2019-09-11.
22. "Report: 21 Iraqi Militia Members Killed in Explosion in Iran-linked Arms Depot".

v t e Iran–Israel proxy conflict
Background	Iranian revolution Iran–Iraq war 1999 arrest of Iranian Jews
2024 Iran–Israel conflict	Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus reactions Iranian seizure of the MSC Aries Iranian strikes on Israel April 2024 October 2024 Israeli strikes on Iran April 2024 October 2024 intelligence leak
Hezbollah–Israel conflict	Israeli–Lebanese conflict South Lebanon conflict 1982 kidnapping of Iranian diplomats Assassination of Abbas al-Musawi 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing AMIA bombing 2000–2006 Shebaa Farms conflict 2000 Hezbollah cross-border raid 2005 Hezbollah cross-border raid 2006 Lebanon War Assassination of Imad Mughniyeh 2008 Israel–Hezbollah prisoner exchange 2009 Hezbollah plot in Egypt Francop Affair January 2015 Shebaa Farms incident Operation Northern Shield 2019 Beirut drone crash 2023 Israel–Lebanon shellings Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present) Assassination of Fuad Shukr 2024 Lebanon electronic device attacks 20 September 2024 Beirut attack September 2024 Israeli attacks against Lebanon 2024 Hezbollah headquarters strike Assassination of Hashem Safieddine 2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement Projectile attacks from Lebanon
Israeli–Palestinian conflict	Karine A affair Victoria Affair Operation Full Disclosure
Gaza–Israel conflict	Gaza War (2008–2009) 2014 Gaza War Israel–Hamas war Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh
Syrian civil war	January 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrike May 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrikes December 2014 Rif Dimashq airstrikes January 2015 Mazraat Amal incident Qalamoun offensive (May–June 2015) March 2017 Israel–Syria incident February 2018 Israel–Syria incident Operation House of Cards September 2018 Syria missile strikes August 2019 Syria missile strikes November 2019 Syria missile strikes January 2021 Syria airstrikes 2023 Damascus airstrike Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents Hezbollah involvement
International incidents	Operation Outside the Box 2009 Sudan airstrikes 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats 2012 Bangkok bombings 2012 Cyprus terrorist plot 2012 Burgas bus bombing Yarmouk munitions factory explosion 2019 Israeli airstrikes in Iraq 2022 Erbil missile attacks 2022 Istanbul terror plot 2024 Iranian missile strikes in Iraq and Syria 20 July 2024 Israeli attack on Yemen
Nuclear program of Iran	Assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists Ardeshir Hosseinpour Massoud Ali-Mohammadi Majid Shahriari Fereydoon Abbasi Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan Mohsen Fakhrizadeh AMAD Project Mossad infiltration of Iranian nuclear archive Bid Kaneh explosion Stuxnet 2020 Iran explosions 2021 Natanz incident 2023 Iran drone attacks
Related	Russia and the Iran–Israel proxy conflict Russia–Hamas relations Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict Ahmad Reza Djalali Axis of Resistance Arab–Israeli alliance Abraham Accords Warsaw Middle East conference People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran Little Satan Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Israel Views on military action against Iran Iran and state-sponsored terrorism Iranian support for Hamas Israel and state-sponsored terrorism Quds Day Prisoner X2 Tehran
Category:Iran–Israel proxy conflict

• Attacks in Iraq in 2019
• July 2019 events in Iraq
• August 2019 events in Iraq
• September 2019 events in Iraq
• 2019 airstrikes
• 2019 in international relations
• Airstrikes conducted by Israel
• Cross-border operations into Iraq
• Iran–Israel proxy conflict
• Iraq–Israel relations
• History of Saladin Governorate
• History of Diyala Governorate
• 2019 in Baghdad
• Baghdad airstrikes
• Balad, Iraq
• History of Al Anbar Governorate
• 2019 building bombings
• Building bombings in Iraq
• Airstrikes in Iraq