During the war with Iran, Israel secretly deployed elite military and intelligence units in Azerbaijan as part of a broader clandestine network of sites across the Middle East designed to facilitate operations against Tehran, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN Friday. Two of the sources said the forces operated from several areas in southern Azerbaijan, which shares a border with Iran. Some of the forces were stationed approximately 96 kilometers (60 miles) from the Iranian city of Tabriz.
The two additional sources disclosed that specialized commando units were also deployed to those locations, where they conducted intelligence-gathering missions and operated drones. The sources added that the forces, originally designed to serve as potential rescue teams in the event of an emergency, expanded their scope of operations and became permanent military and intelligence positions.
The deployment in Azerbaijan was part of a broader network Israel maintained throughout the war. The sources added that soldiers were also stationed in additional countries, including Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Somaliland. Israeli forces were positioned along Iran's southern, western, and northern periphery during the war, extending the IDF's operational range by hundreds of miles deep into Iranian territory. One of the sources noted that the operation in Azerbaijan involved several dozen fighters and crew members, including members of Israel's special operations forces, an elite airborne search-and-rescue unit, and Mossad operatives.
Separately, Somaliland provided Jerusalem with an additional military position, according to one of the sources, which offered Israeli aircraft a potential stopover point during long-range flights to Iran. In December, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland.
The IDF also maintained two covert facilities in Iraq during part of the war with Iran, which supported logistical operations and search-and-rescue missions when needed. The two sites in Iraq were first reported by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. In a statement, the Iraqi army asserted that there were no "unauthorized bases or forces" in the country. Israel also deployed an Iron Dome battery in the UAE, along with an air defense crew, as first reported by Axios, alongside additional defense systems.
CNN also previously reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Mossad chief, and the IDF chief of staff visited the UAE during the war – a disclosure that prompted a sharp denial from the UAE. One of the key operations launched from Azerbaijan, according to one of the sources, was the assassination of Rahman Moghdam, who headed the IRGC's intelligence directorate. Israel alleged he was responsible for planning the 2024 assassination attempt against Trump. A day later, drones struck an airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan, damaging the terminal building and wounding several people.
President Ilham Aliyev blamed Iran and called the attack "an ugly, cowardly, and shameless act of terror," while Iran denied launching the drones. On March 6, Azerbaijan's State Security Service announced that it had thwarted an IRGC plot to attack critical infrastructure as well as Israeli and Jewish targets. Weeks later, Israel publicly confirmed that the operation was a joint one involving the Mossad, the IDF, and the Shin Bet.
