Israel Secretly Deployed Elite Forces to Azerbaijan During Iran War, Sources Say
Israel secretly deployed elite military and intelligence units to Azerbaijan during its war with Iran, according to four sources. The forces operated from several locations in southern Azerbaijan, near Iran's northern border, approximately 60 miles from Tabriz. Their mission involved intelligence-gathering and drone operations.
Key Details
- The deployment was part of a covert network of sites across multiple countries, including Iraq, the UAE, and Somaliland.
- The Azerbaijan operation included several dozen troops from special operations forces, heliborne combat and rescue units, and Mossad personnel.
- The forward positions extended Israel's military reach by hundreds of miles into Iranian territory.
- Preparations began weeks before the war's opening strikes. In mid-January, Israel conducted a preliminary operation to install listening devices and intelligence equipment along the Azerbaijan-Iran border.
- A key operation launched from Azerbaijan was the killing on March 4 of Rahman Moghaddam, head of the IRGC intelligence division, whom Israel blamed for planning an assassination attempt against Donald Trump.
- On March 5, drones struck an airport in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan enclave. President Aliyev blamed Iran; Iran denied involvement.
- On March 6, Azerbaijan's State Security Service announced it had broken up an IRGC plot to attack critical infrastructure and Israeli/Jewish targets. Israel later acknowledged a joint operation involving Mossad, the military, and Shin Bet.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar visited Baku in late January. In May 2025, Azerbaijan hosted rare direct talks between Israel and Syria.
Background
- Israel and Azerbaijan have close ties: Azerbaijan supplies oil to Israel; Israel sells advanced weaponry to Azerbaijan, including Iron Dome systems.
- The secret deployments included facilities in Iraq (for logistics and search and rescue), the UAE (Iron Dome battery), and Somaliland (potential stopover for long-range flights). Official denials have been issued by Azerbaijan and Iraq.
Statements
"We firmly reject unfounded claims regarding the alleged use of Azerbaijan’s territory for operations against third countries."
— Azerbaijan's embassy in the US
"No unauthorized bases or forces" were present in the country as of early March.
— Iraq's military
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office and IDF declined to comment.