Israel deployed IDF commandos and intelligence operatives to Azerbaijan during Iran War - report

Israeli commandos and Mossad operatives were deployed to Azerbaijan during the war with Iran, CNN reported on Friday, citing four unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

According to the report, Israeli special forces at one point operated just 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the Iranian city of Tabriz, which was struck by the Israeli Air Force during Operation Roaring Lion. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one source revealed that the deployed Israeli special units included an “elite heliborne combat and rescue force.”

The reported deployment significantly expanded Israel’s operational reach against targets inside neighboring Iran.

Azerbaijan, which shares a border with Iran, maintains close security ties with the Jewish state. However, a spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington dismissed the report, stating that Azerbaijan “firmly [rejected the] unfounded claims regarding the alleged use of Azerbaijan’s territory for operations against third countries.”

The report highlights the extent to which Israel seemed to establish or utilize positions beyond its borders to support military operations against Iran. Azerbaijan, which has long had tense relations with Tehran, has sought to avoid direct confrontation with the Iranian regime.

Azerbaijan was not the only country that reportedly hosted Israeli forces during the conflict. According to a New York Times report published last month, Israel constructed two covert bases in the Iraqi desert to support potential rescue operations.

While no manned Israeli Air Force aircraft were downed during the war, Israel reportedly assisted the United States in recovering the aircrew of a downed U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jet.

At least one of the Iraqi bases was said to have been discovered by a Bedouin resident. The facilities, which were later abandoned after Iraqi authorities began searching the area, were also reportedly used during the 12-day war against Iran in June 2025.

There have also been reports that Israel established covert military sites in Somaliland and the United Arab Emirates.

In April, a senior UAE official told Axios that Israel deployed a manned Iron Dome battery to strengthen the UAE’s air defenses against Iranian missiles and drones.

"We are not going to forget it," the UAE official said, stressing the country’s appreciation for Israeli military assistance during the war.

The UAE was among the countries most heavily targeted during Iran’s attacks across the Middle East. Tehran reportedly launched some 550 missiles and more than 2,000 drones at predominantly civilian facilities in the UAE, including airports and shopping malls.

The vast majority of the incoming projectiles were intercepted with assistance from Israel and the United States.

Reports last month also claimed that the UAE Air Force responded to the Iranian attacks by conducting strikes against targets in Iran with U.S. and Israeli intelligence support. The Emirati government has not officially confirmed any military action against Iran.

However, the reported Emirati strikes allegedly generated tensions with Saudi Arabia. While Saudi Arabia also came under Iranian attack during the conflict, Riyadh reportedly favored a diplomatic resolution and urged Washington to restrain the UAE’s alleged military operations against Iran.

In December 2025, Israel became the first country to officially recognize Somaliland as an independent state, more than three decades after it declared independence from Somalia.

The two countries quickly established diplomatic relations and exchanged ambassadors. Somaliland has expressed interest in Israeli technology and expertise, while offering natural resources and a strategic location along the Red Sea near Houthi-controlled Yemen, whose rulers are backed by Iran.

Nevertheless, Somaliland has officially denied reports that Israel established a military presence in the country.