Iraqi Officials Suspect Israeli Strikes Destroyed Chinese Air Defense Systems

Iraqi security officials concluded on Saturday that Israeli aircraft likely destroyed two storage sites holding Chinese-made shoulder-fired air defense systems. The assessment comes from sources cited by the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, who said the strikes hit Iranian-backed militias' caches in Baghdad. The specific model of the missile system was not identified in the report.

The blasts occurred last week, shortly after the weapons arrived at the locations. One source described the chosen storage spot as difficult to detect or reach. The report noted that authorities had gathered enough evidence to suspect Israeli involvement, though some details remained unconfirmed. The strikes were part of a series of incidents affecting warehouses linked to Iran-aligned groups in and around Baghdad.

Earlier in October, a similar incident occurred on October 1. Warehouses storing reconnaissance drones and suicide attack drones were reportedly affected during that event. A security official confirmed that while the exact nature of the strikes was not initially determined, the evidence pointed to Israel. This follows a pattern of Iraqi officials attributing past strikes to Israel, including incidents in 2019 and a recent attack near the Iraqi border in Syria.

A separate explosion took place on October 17 at a base of the Popular Mobilition Forces (PMF) in the East Canal area of Baghdad. The PMF initially labeled the blast an accident, but Asharq Al-Awsat reported it hit a stockpile of obsolete ammunition. Five people were injured in that incident. The Iraqi government promised an investigation, but an anonymous official said authorities were still examining the circumstances more than a week later.

The timing of these strikes coincides with heightened regional tensions. Since the United States and Israel began airstrikes in February, Iran has attempted to use Iraq as a frontline. The country has faced over 1,000 drone and missile strikes on the Kurdistan Region and 600 attacks across other areas. The United States withdrew its forces from Iraq on September 30, adhering to a deadline agreed upon with Baghdad.

The connection between the Chinese-made systems and Iranian supply chains remains a point of scrutiny. Asharq Al-Awsat linked earlier reports of China supplying weapons to Iran with the movement of those same systems to Iraq, though it described the link as unconfirmed. China's Foreign Ministry denied the supply reports on July 28. Meanwhile, an Iran-backed militia recently attacked Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline with a drone launched from Iraq's Maysan province.

Political figures in Iraq are closely watching the situation. A source within the Shi'ite Coordination Framework said that ruling party leaders had predicted a renewed war between Washington and Tehran would begin with the destruction of the Iraqi factions' capabilities. Most major groups in the PMF, excluding the Badr Organization, are sanctioned by the US as terrorist organizations. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq published a statement claiming that Iraqi airspace was being violated.

The US has warned Americans against traveling to Baghdad following the withdrawal of its military presence. The closure of the Maysan crossing near the Iranian border was ordered amid US pressure and Iraqi concerns about trafficking. These developments mark a shift in the operational environment for militias operating in the country, as they face increased scrutiny on their logistics and storage networks.