Iraqi farmer killed to hide evidence of two Israeli bases in country: Report

Iraqi farmer killed to hide evidence of two Israeli bases in country: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Sun, 05/17/2026 - 11:57 Locals said shepherd Awad al-Shammari was killed by a helicopter after discovering an Israeli base Men gather around the wreckage of a car reportedly driven by a local shepherd who was struck by Israeli forces and later buried nearby in the Najaf desert in southwestern Iraq on 12 May 2026 (Qassem al-Kaabi/AFP) Off The presence of two secret Israeli bases in Iraq may have led to the death of a shepherd who discovered them, according to an investigation by The New York Times (NYT). The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Israel set up a covert outpost in Iraq’s western desert during the conflict with Iran. The site was reportedly used to support air operations and housed special forces units.