Israel secretly deployed elite military and intelligence personnel to Azerbaijan during its war with Iran as part of a wider network of covert positions across the region, according to a CNN report citing four sources familiar with the matter.
The forces reportedly operated from several locations in southern Azerbaijan near Iran’s northern border, including areas close to the Iranian city of Tabriz, which was targeted during the conflict. Sources told CNN that Israeli special forces carried out intelligence-gathering missions and drone operations from the sites, providing Israel with a strategic position from which to monitor activity inside northern Iran.
The deployment in Azerbaijan was reportedly one of several covert military positions maintained by Israel during the war. According to the report, Israeli personnel were also present at secret facilities in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Somaliland, extending Israel’s military reach around Iran’s northern, western, and southern borders.
Sources said the Azerbaijani operation involved several dozen personnel, including members of Israel’s special operations forces, rescue units, and Mossad intelligence officers. Initially planned as emergency rescue teams, the deployments reportedly expanded into intelligence and military support positions as the conflict intensified.
A spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s embassy in Washington rejected the claims, stating that Baku “firmly rejects unfounded claims regarding the alleged use of Azerbaijan’s territory for operations against third countries.”
CNN also reported that Somaliland provided Israel with an additional military position that could be used by Israeli aircraft during long-range operations. Israel formally recognized Somaliland in December, becoming the first country to do so.
The report further stated that Israel maintained two secret facilities in Iraq during part of the conflict and deployed an Iron Dome air defense battery, along with personnel to operate it, in the United Arab Emirates.
According to sources cited by CNN, preparations for the Azerbaijan operation began weeks before the outbreak of war. Israeli forces allegedly established intelligence-gathering capabilities near the Iranian border, including listening devices and surveillance equipment intended to monitor military movements and missile activity inside Iran.
The revelations shed new light on the scale of Israel’s regional military operations during the conflict and highlight the growing strategic importance of Azerbaijan in Israel’s security and intelligence network. Israel and Azerbaijan maintain close defense ties, with Baku supplying a significant share of Israel’s oil imports while purchasing advanced Israeli military equipment.
Neither the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office nor the Israeli military publicly commented on the report.
