Iraq militia sweeps southern desert after report of alleged Israeli outpost
May 13, 2026
Baghdad [Iraq], May 13: Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a pro-Iranian militia also known as Hashd Shaabi, said on Tuesday it had launched a military "clearing and search operation" in a southern desert area, after a report of an alleged Israeli base inside the country.
The operation, dubbed Imposing Sovereignty, began in the deserts of Najaf and Karbala, the Iraqi state news agency INA reported. The move follows a report by The Wall Street Journal that Israeli forces had established a "clandestine military outpost" in Najaf to support its air campaign against Iran, and that the base was nearly discovered in early March.
Source: Qatar Tribune
