Iraq protests Israel’s use of its airspace for attack on Iran
Date
10/28/2024 9:36:04 AM
(MENAFN) Iraq has officially protested Israel’s use of Iraqi airspace for an attack on Iran, submitting a letter of condemnation to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council. government spokesman Bassim Alawadi announced Monday that the letter denounces what Iraq describes as “the Zionist entity’s blatant violation” of Iraqi Sovereignty through airspace intrusion to strike Iran on October 26.
Iraq’s foreign Ministry also intends to address this violation with the United States, Israel’s primary ally and military supporter. This recent Israeli airstrike targeted military installations in Iran, escalating tensions in a region already destabilized by the ongoing Gaza war and Israel-Hezbollah confrontations. The airstrike came as a response to an Iranian missile attack on October 1, itself a retaliation for the killing of Iran-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guards officer.
The Iranian military reported that some Israeli aircraft had launched long-range missiles “from a distance” within Iraq’s US-patrolled airspace. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei expressed confidence that neighboring states did not authorize Israel to use their airspace, urging Iraq to take action to prevent future incidents. Baghaei stated that Tehran expects Baghdad to formalize its protest through the UN, emphasizing Iran’s concern over maintaining Iraq’s neutrality and security.
Caught between regional tensions, Iraq maintains strong ties with both Tehran and Washington, with US troops stationed in Iraq as part of the anti-jihadist coalition. While Iraq's government seeks to avoid entanglement in the escalating conflict, some Iran-aligned factions within Iraq have launched attacks on US forces and claimed drone strikes against Israel. One of these groups, Kataeb Hezbollah, condemned Israel’s use of Iraqi airspace as a “dangerous precedent” and accused the United States of complicity, warning of a potential response to this "aggression."
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