The Israeli military deployment during the war with Iran was not limited to its own borders. According to an exclusive from CNN, Tel Aviv covertly deployed troops and intelligence equipment in southern Azerbaijan. According to sources cited by the American media, soldiers were mobilized near the Iranian border, less than 100 kilometers from the Persian city of Tabriz, heavily bombed during the month and a half of conflict.
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These secret bases served to deploy special intelligence commands and drones to ensure a point from which to attack northern Iran at close range. The contingent was composed of several dozen personnel, including members of special forces, airborne rescue units, and Mossad personnel. According to sources consulted by the American network, Israel deployed forces along the entire Iranian periphery, creating a network of advanced positions that allowed it to extend its military reach hundreds of kilometers into enemy territory.
The contingent sent to Azerbaijan included members of special forces, airborne rescue units, and Mossad personnel
The infrastructure developed in Azerbaijan would have begun construction weeks before the start of the war. According to CNN, Israel launched a secret operation in mid-January on the border with Iran to install electronic surveillance systems and intelligence equipment aimed at tracking Iranian military movements and detecting possible missile launches. Although the Trump Administration canceled the attacks that were supposed to provide cover for that mission at the last minute, Israeli authorities decided to proceed. Stealth fighters and special forces units participated in the operation.
Among the actions allegedly facilitated by this network is the death, on March 4, of Rahman Moqadam, intelligence chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Israel accused him of being involved in planning an assassination attempt against Donald Trump in 2024. The next day, several drones struck Nakhchivan airport, an Azerbaijani enclave located between Armenia, Iran, and Turkey, causing damage to a terminal and several injuries. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attributed the attack to Iran, an accusation that Tehran categorically rejected.
The Caucasian nation has been an ally of the Israelis for years: Baku has become one of their main oil suppliers and a major buyer of Israeli weaponry. For now, the Azerbaijani government has not confirmed the Israeli presence in its territory, and the Azerbaijani embassy in the United States stated that these are “unfounded claims.”
The Caucasian country has been an ally of Tel Aviv for years and one of its major oil suppliers
Tehran views this close relationship with distrust, fueled both by the presence of a large Azerbaijani minority in Iranian territory and by the fear that Azerbaijan could become a platform for military or intelligence operations directed against the Islamic Republic.
CNN also points out that the Azerbaijani case is part of a broader strategy by the Israeli Army to expand its presence in the region and beyond. Various sources indicate that Israel has unofficial military bases in Iraq, Somaliland, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Emirati monarchy, a strategic ally of the United States, also participated in the attacks on the ayatollahs’ regime, while Tehran launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles against the Persian Gulf country. Furthermore, US media had previously reported that Israel deployed an Iron Dome anti-missile battery in the United Arab Emirates during the war and maintained two secret bases in Iraq for logistical tasks and eventual rescue operations.
In the case of Somaliland, Israel used the separatist territory in the Horn of Africa, officially recognized by the Hebrew state last December, as a logistical support point for long-range operations. An installation would have operated there, intended to facilitate stopovers and refueling for aircraft participating in Iran-related missions.
Various sources indicate that Israel has unofficial military bases in Iraq, Somaliland, and the United Arab Emirates
The existence of this network of covert positions illustrates the regional dimension of a conflict that was fought far beyond Iranian borders. Israel and the United States launched their offensive against Iran on February 28 with the declared objective of degrading the Islamic Republic’s military capabilities and destroying its nuclear and ballistic programs. Although Donald Trump announced a truce on April 8, subsequent diplomatic efforts remain stalled due to disagreements over the future of Iran’s nuclear program and control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
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