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"An Israel Defense Forces spokesman described as "utterly baseless" media reports on Friday about Israel Air Force warplanes secretly training in U.S.-controlled Iraq for possible attacks on neighbouring Iran.
The Baghdad government and the Pentagon similarly played down a report quoting an Iraqi news network, that Israeli jets were practicing in Iraqi airspace and landing on U.S. airbases in the country.
Issuing an official denial, the IDF spokesman said: "Reports about putative IAF activities in Iraq are utterly baseless."
Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Mohammad al-Askari said: "We haven't observed any IAF warplanes practicing in Iraqi airspace."
Recent months have seen a flurry of high-level contacts between Israel and the United States, which accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge."
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