Illustrative image. (Israeli Defense Forces)
Elite Israeli troops were deployed to Azerbaijan in a secret mission during the recent war with Iran, CNN reported on June 5, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report, several dozen elite troops and agents from the Mossad spy agency were stationed at various points along Azerbaijan’s border with Iran, including some 96 kilometers from the city of Tabriz, located in in the northwest of the Islamic Republic.
The troops deployed to Azerbaijan were initially intended to serve as an emergency rescue team in the event of Israeli planes being downed over Iran, the news network reported, but the mission was expanded to include intelligence-gathering and drone operations that allowed Israel to expand the reach and scope of its offensive.
One of the most significant operations launched by Israel from within Azerbaijan was the killing of the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s Special Operations Division, Rahman Moqadam, the report revealed.
The assassination of Moqadam was announced on March 4. He was accused of recruiting and training operatives both inside and outside of Iran, and asked them to gather intelligence on Israeli political leaders, security officials, Israeli and Western military installations, ports, and Israeli ships around the world.
Notably, on March 5, Azerbaijan reported an Iranian drone attack on its territories. At the time, Baku warned that it could respond, and Tehran denied responsibility.
The Azerbaijani embassy in the United States told CNN that it rejects “unfounded claims regarding the alleged use of Azerbaijan’s territory for operations against third countries.”
The same sources revealed to the news network that Israel also set up a military position in Somaliland that would allow Israeli aircraft to refuel while en route to Iran. Israel recognized the breakaway nation in northern Somalia in December and is the only country to date to have done so.
Last month, The New York Times revealed that Israel built two covert outposts in Iraq to help in its wars against the Islamic Republic.
These recent reports were not surprising. Israel is known for having strong relations with Azerbaijan, and there were signs of its operations in Iraq, and Somaliland. Now, however, that all of this is confirmed, Iran will likely act more decisively against such operations if the war resumes.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com