Israel Can Hit Iranian Targets in Iraq, Elsewhere

The Fellowship | September 4, 2018

IRAQ-CONFLICT — Fighters of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitaries sit in the back of a heavily-armed vehicle carrying a rocket launcher, at a defensive position near the frontline village of Ayn al-Hisan, on the outskirts of Tal Afar west of Mosul, where Iraqi forces are preparing for the offensive retake the western side of Mosul from Islamic State (IS) group fighters, on February 18, 2017. / AFP / AHMAD AL-RUBAYE (Photo credit should read AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)

Late last week, Stand for Israel told you about reports of Iranian missiles — with the range to reach Israel — being provided to terrorist groups in Iraq. Now, The Times of Israel reports that Israel has responded by warning, “We will handle any Iranian threat, no matter where”:

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman appeared to imply Monday that Israel could hit Iranian targets in Iraq, days after the Reuters news agency reported that Tehran was providing ballistic missiles and training to loyalist militias there.

“As for the threat from Iran, we are not limiting ourselves to Syria. That should be clear,” Liberman told a conference organized by Hadashot TV news.

Asked specifically if this included Iraq, the defense minister answered: “I’m saying we will handle any Iranian threat, no matter where it comes from. We are maintaining the right to act… and any threat or anything else that comes up is dealt with.”

The Friday report, citing several unnamed Iranian, Iraqi and Western officials, stated that several dozen rockets capable of hitting Israel and Tehran’s Sunni rival Saudi Arabia had been deployed with Iran’s Shiite proxies in Iraq.

It added that Iran was working to provide its allies with missile manufacturing facilities, and has been training militia members in operating the new weapons…