Is There A Secret Israeli Air Base In Azerbaijan?

Israel’s Secret Staging Ground -- Foreign Policy

U.S. officials believe that the Israelis have gained access to airbases in Azerbaijan. Does this bring them one step closer to a war with Iran?

In 2009, the deputy chief of mission of the U.S. embassy in Baku, Donald Lu, sent a cable to the State Department's headquarters in Foggy Bottom titled "Azerbaijan's discreet symbiosis with Israel." The memo, later released by WikiLeaks, quotes Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev as describing his country's relationship with the Jewish state as an iceberg: "nine-tenths of it is below the surface."

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More News On Reports Of An Israeli - Azerbaijan Alliance Against Iran

REPORT: Israel's 'Secret Staging Ground' For A Possible Iran Attack Is Azerbaijan -- Business Insider
Report says Israel to use Azeri airbases -- UPI
Azerbaijan granted Israel access to air bases on Iran border -- Haaretz
Report: Israel has access to Azeri airbases -- YNet News
Baku grants Israel use of its air bases -- Jerusalem Post
Azerbaijan will be a platform for Israel - if not for F-15s, then punk rock -- Haaretz
Azerbaijan denies giving Israel air base access -- AFP
Azerbaijan Denies Giving Israel Military Air Access -- Voice of America
Azerbaijan denies granting Israel access to air bases on Iran border -- Haaretz
Azerbaijan denies report it gave Israel access to airfields -- JTA
Reports Israel at the gates of Iran slammed by Baku -- RT
Israel and Azerbaijan: unlikely allies? -- The Guardian
Azeris Strengthen Israel’s Hand on Iran -- Jonathan S. Tobin, Commentary

My Comment: This story is interesting on it own grounds .... but what I find even more interesting is that it appears that it is US officials who have leaked this report.

As to a secret Israel airbase in Azerbaijan .... my take is that this is a non-story. To begin .... for Israeli jets to get to Azerbaijan, they will need to cross the airspace of Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Armenia, etc... In short .... it is not possible. But to use Azerbaijan as a return base after an attack on Iran .... now that is a different story.