Iraq has strongly condemned Israel for violating its airspace by flying fighter jets over key southern cities, including Najaf, Karbala, and Basra. According to Iraq’s representative at the United Nations Security Council, the incident occurred shortly before Friday’s session began. Abbas Kazim Ubaid Al-Fatlawi, Iraq’s chargé d’affaires, reported that 50 Israeli aircraft entered Iraqi airspace.
He explained that the planes approached from the Syrian and Jordanian border areas. Initially, 20 jets crossed into Iraq, followed later by 30 more. These jets reportedly flew over sacred and densely populated areas, including the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, before heading toward the south.
Al-Fatlawi stressed that the violation of Iraq’s airspace is a breach of international law and the UN Charter. He highlighted the deep cultural and religious importance of the affected cities to Iraqis. The overflights, he warned, could provoke severe public backlash due to the cities’ spiritual significance.
The Iraqi representative urged the international community to take immediate notice of the incident. He also emphasized that such actions could escalate tensions in an already volatile region. Iraq has demanded that Israel be held accountable for breaching its sovereignty.
This comes amid growing regional instability due to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. Iraq’s statement adds further pressure on the United Nations to intervene diplomatically and address security concerns raised by neighboring states.