The statement came after the Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected, in September, reports on Iran allegedly transferring its ballistic missiles to Tehran-backed Shiite groups in Iraq as "false and ridiculous".

Iran may use its increasing clout in Iraq as something that will help Tehran attack Israel, according to the Jewish state's military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Tamir Hyman.

"Iraq is under growing influence of the [Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps'] Quds Force and Iran", The Times of Israel quoted Hyman as saying during a Tel Aviv conference. READ MORE: Israel Thanks US for Recognizing its 'Right' to Attack Pro-Iran Forces in Syria He claimed that Iran could "see Iraq as a convenient theatre for entrenchment, like what they did in Syria, and to use it as a platform for a force build-up that could also threaten the State of Israel."

The remarks came after Reuters cited Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi as saying that Syrian President Bashar Assad had met Iraqi security officials held in Damascus last week. Mahdi also reportedly hinted at a bigger Iraqi role in tackling Daesh militants amid US troops' withdrawal.
In September, Reuters reported, citing a number of different sources, that Iran had been delivering short-range ballistic missiles to its Shiite allies in Iraq and helping the groups to start producing their own over the past few months. The Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected the reports as "unacceptable and false". READ MORE: Israeli Operations in Syria Curbed Iran and Hezbollah – IDF Chief of Staff In another development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week reaffirmed Tel Aviv's commitment to counter Iran in Syria despite the US withdrawal from the region.

Netanyahu's words were echoed by Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who assured that the country will "do everything to prevent Iran from gaining foothold in Syria". READ MORE: Israeli Prime Minister Vows to Continue Aggressive Actions Against Iran in Syria

Pro-government fighters hold up a Syrian flag in the central Syrian town of Al-Sukhnah ©
AFP 2018 / STRINGER Israel is Not a Player in Syrian Tensions - Research Fellow
Israel has been conducting airstrikes on Syrian territory, claiming to attack Iranian military objects and convoys of weaponry. Tel Aviv insists that Tehran is transferring armaments to the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, which the latter uses against Israel, through Syria.
Iran denies any military presence in Syria apart from military advisors, which were requested by Damascus.
The US announced the withdrawal of its forces from Syria on December 19. President Donald Trump noted that since defeating Daesh was the key goal of the US military in the Arab country, the troops must now return home after the terrorists were allegedly defeated.Source: sputniknews.com