BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The US embassy in Baghdad has quoted government officials with warnings that Israel could carry out air strikes inside Iraqi territory, well-informed Iraqi sources said.

These sources added that the expected air strikes will target the weapons factories of the popular crowd that is developing and manufacturing long and medium range missiles.

She explained that Israel believes that the purpose of the development of these weapons is the transfer to the Lebanese Hezbollah through smuggling through Syrian territory, which it considers a threat to its security.

The same sources pointed out that the Americans told the Iraqi side that they are trying to prevent or block these attacks, but they made clear that if Israel carried out such strikes, they believe that "will be to protect itself and will be justified."

The sources said that the Iraqi side expressed concern about the possibility of the development of the matter and reached this stage, and warned of its repercussions on the situation in Iraq.