Articles

Israeli airstrikes on Iran allegedly used Iraqi airspace

The New Region

Oct. 26, 2024 • 4 min read
Image of Israeli airstrikes on Iran allegedly used Iraqi airspace Footage of a purported spent booster of an Israeli aeroballistic missile launched against Iran in Iraq’s Salahaddin province. Photo: Submitted

Israel reportedly launched airstrikes on Iran using Iraqi airspace early Saturday, targeting military sites in Tehran, Ilam, and Khuzestan. Defense analyst Federico Borsari confirmed to The New Region that debris found in Iraq’s Salahaddin province was likely from a "Golden Horizon" Israeli aeroballistic missile.

DUBAI, UAE - Israel reportedly used Iraqi airspace to conduct an airstrike on Iran early Saturday, according to reports, in what Israeli sources described as a response to an Iranian attack earlier this month.

 

The strikes reportedly targeted military sites in Tehran, Ilam, and Khuzestan. Iranian officials claimed their air defenses intercepted the “enemy” attack, with only minor damage reported in some locations.

 

Explosions were heard in several areas of Iraq, but the Iraqi government and security officials have yet to release any statements regarding the incident.

 

Meanwhile, Iraq’s Ministry of Transport announced the suspension of all air traffic until further notice, citing “regional tensions” and the need to ensure the safety of civil aviation, before resuming flight a few hours later.

 

The ministry began gradually clearing Iraqi airspace of incoming, outgoing, and transiting flights to protect passengers arriving at Iraqi airports and planes passing through Iraq’s airspace.

 

Missiles in Salahaddin province

 

The New Region confirmed that at least three missiles landed in various areas of Iraq’s Salahaddin province during the early hours of Saturday, coinciding with the Israeli strikes on Iran.

 

Defense analyst Federico Borsari told The New Region that one of the projectiles recovered in Salahaddin was “a spent booster of an Israeli aeroballistic missile launched against Iran, likely a Golden Horizon missile,” adding that it was “very likely” that Iraqi airspace was used in the operation.

 

“Although the missile could have been launched over Syria, and the booster detached over Iraq, with the maneuvering warhead continuing its path toward Iran,” he added.

 

The New Region reached out to Iraqi government spokesperson Basim al-Awadi, Joint Operations Command spokesperson Tahsin al-Khafaji, and the Ministry of Transport for comment, all of which declined to comment.

 

Salahaddin provincial council’s Security Committee Chairman Saad Ubaid confirmed that missiles had struck locations in the province and claimed Israel used Iraqi airspace in its operations against Iran.

 

“The Zionist entity is a rogue state that disregards international laws and conventions, showing no respect for the sovereignty of other nations or United Nations resolutions,” Ubaid told The New Region. “Missiles landed in various areas of Salahaddin in conjunction with the attack on neighboring Iran.”

 

Ubaid said, “The Israeli enemy used Iraqi airspace to carry out these strikes,” adding that “Iraqi airspace is controlled by US forces, who are responsible for any breach of Iraq’s airspace.”

 

According to Ubaid, the first missile landed along Khazimi Street on Samarra Island. Although the missile’s source remains unknown, he said, it caused no damage.

 

He also reported that remnants of a second missile landed in the Sukhaira area of Samarra district, while a third missile fell in the Mkeishifa area, where it struck a seven-meter-deep well, measuring 14 meters across.

 

“All these missiles are of unknown origin,” Ubaid said, adding that a team from the defense ministry’s Engineering Corps has been dispatched to examine the impact sites and determine the type and origin of the missiles.

 

As of yet, there has been no confirmation on their source. No injuries or structural damage were reported, as the missiles fell in a sparsely populated desert area on Samarra Island, he noted.

 

The Communication Center of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said Iraqi airspace was used in Israel’s Saturday attack with the help of US military in Iraq, issuing a warning to Washington which it accused of “playing a central role” in providing support for Israel.

 

“In a blatant and illegal aggression violating international laws, enemy Zionist aircraft, using airspace provided by the terrorist US military in Iraq, launched several long-range air-launched missiles from a distance of one hundred kilometers from Iran’s borders,” read a statement from the center.

 

“A warning is issued to the terrorist-supporting and criminal US government, which plays a central role in providing full support for the Zionist regime's criminal actions that disrupt regional security,” it added.

 

Iraqi state media cited an unnamed security source who confirmed that no Iraqi installations or civilian, military, or economic sites were affected during the attack on Iran.

 

The New Region has obtained images showing missiles and unidentified fragments on Mkeishifa Island in Salahaddin province, taken during the night of the strikes.

 

Profile picture of The New Region
Author The New Region

NEWSLETTER

Get the latest updates delivered to your inbox.