The relationship between Iraq and Israel has been a challenging one since 1948, when Iraq declared war on the newly established Jewish state, since then relations between the two states have remained hostile at best. Iraqi forces took part in action against Israel in 1948, 1967, and 1973, as well as firing dozens of Scud ballistic missiles at Israel during the 1991 Persian Gulf War (despite Israel not being involved in that war). Israel bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981.

Iraq was best buddies of the US against Iran between the 1979 Tehran embassy hostage-taking until some time before the 1991 gulf war, while Israel and Iraq were on each other's shit lists throughout.

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