Israel says it will target Iranian missiles sited in Iraq

ISRAEL has threatened to attack any Iranian military assets in Iraq as it has done in Syria, following reports that Tehran has moved ballistic missiles closer to the Jewish state.

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s defence minister, signalled yesterday that it would “contend” with Iranian provocations wherever they were found.

“We are monitoring everything that is happening in Syria, and regarding Iranian threats we are not limiting our- selves just to Syrian territory. This also needs to be clear,” Mr Lieberman said.

Asked if this included Iraq, he responded: “I am saying that we will contend with any Iranian threat, and it doesn’t matter from where it comes … Israel’s freed.”

Tehran has transferred dozens of short-range ballistic missiles to proxy militias in Iraq over the last few months, according to a Reuters report published at the weekend.

The Zelzal, Fateh-110 and Zolfaqar missiles in question have ranges of 400 miles, putting Tel Aviv within striking distance if the weapons were deployed in southern or western Iraq. The Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has bases in both those areas.

Iran’s most recent manoeuvring puts pressure on Israel from two fronts: Lebanon and Syria to the north, and Iraq to the east.

Israel is technically at war with Iraq, but the two countries have not openly traded blows for decades. Israel has however conducted hundreds of air strikes against arms transfers and deployments by Iran and its Lebanese ally, the Shia Hizbollah militia, fearing the threat across its border.

Israeli officials will also be watching political developments in Baghdad with concern.

After months of wrangling, two blocs now claim to hold the majority of seats in parliament and therefore the right to name a prime minister.

The bloc of the incumbent prime minister Haider al-abadi and populist cleric Moqtada al-sadr has the support of the US, while the bloc of former prime minister Nouri al-maliki and Badr Organisation militia leader Hadi al-amiri is backed by Iran.

Badr is part of the state apparatus and answers to Iraq’s prime minister, but Mr Amiri and other members of the group’s leadership frequently meet and consult with Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

A Maliki-amiri coalition would be more likely to lead Iraq to greater hostilities with Israel.