Iraq's Defence Ministry said on Friday it had no knowledge of any Israeli air force drills in its airspace after a report that the Israelis were preparing there for a possible strike on Iran. An Israeli security source said a media report, carried on the website of the Jerusalem Post and quoting a local news network, was wrong. In Washington, the Pentagon dismissed the report.
"As the Ministry of Defence, we haven't observed any IAF warplanes practising in Iraqi airspace," said Major-General Mohammad al-Askari, spokesman for the Iraqi Defence Ministry.
Israel Air Force (IAF) war planes were practising in Iraqi airspace and landing on US airbases in the country as a preparation for a potential strike on Iran, sources in the Iraqi Defence Ministry told a local news network, the Jerusalem Post report said.
It said it could not confirm the veracity of the report. The Pentagon dismissed the report. "I find that report inconceivable, and clearly someone is either misinformed or intentionally trying to create mischief," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Iran this week test-fired several missiles it said were capable of reaching Israel and US bases in the Middle East. The United States has reminded Tehran it was ready to defend its allies. The escalating tension helped to push oil prices to a new record high of near $147 a barrel on Friday. Iran is the world's fourth-largest oil exporter and there are fears of supply disruptions in the event of conflict.