New York Times: Leaks of Iranian ballistic missile arsenal in Iraq

Iran has exploited the ongoing chaos in Iraq to build a hidden arsenal of short-range ballistic missiles there, threatening US allies and partners in the region, a senior Pentagon official said, indicating signs of a possible Iranian attack on US interests. .

The new intelligence indicates that the Trump administration's efforts to deter Tehran in the Middle East have largely failed.

The Iranian build-up comes at a time when the United States has rebuilt its military presence in the Middle East to counter emerging threats to US interests, including attacks on oil tankers and facilities blamed on intelligence officials.

Since May, the Trump administration has sent about 14,000 additional troops to the region, mainly to supply naval ships and missile defense systems, but new intelligence on Iran's missile storage in Iraq is the latest sign that the Trump administration's efforts To deter Tehran from increasing the US military presence in the Middle East has largely failed.

Allied threat
Intelligence officials said the missiles pose a threat to US allies and partners in the region, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, and could endanger US forces.

The New York Times said the arsenal of missiles outside Iran's borders gives the Iranian army and its militias in Iraq a preference in any confrontation with the United States and its regional allies.

A senior Pentagon official said on Wednesday there were signs that Iran might take hostile action in the future amid mounting tension between Tehran and Washington.

Tensions have surged in the Gulf since a summer attack on oil tankers, including off the coast of the UAE and a major attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. Washington accuses Iran of responsibility for the attacks, but Iran denies this.

"We also continue to see indications - and for obvious reasons I will not go into details - on the possibility of Iranian aggression," John Rudd, the Pentagon's third-ranking official, told reporters.

Rud did not provide details of the information on which those concerns were based or on the extent of a timetable.

Intelligence
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there had been intelligence in the past month indicating Iran was moving troops and weapons in the region, adding that it was not clear exactly what Iran intended to do.

One official said part of those concerns was related to Iranian activities inside Iraq, which is undergoing anti-government protests.

Reuters reported last year that Iran had delivered ballistic missiles to Shi'ite factions in Iraq.