CNN reported that Israel has been conducting intelligence and military operations in various countries in the region, including Somaliland, during its war with Iran.
According to CNN, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Israel is said to have deployed special forces and Mossad intelligence officers along the border between Azerbaijan and Iran, while also using a refueling station for fighter jets in Somaliland.
The report said that these forces were initially planned to participate in the rescue of Israeli pilots if their planes were shot down, but their mission was later expanded to gather intelligence and support attacks on Iran.
CNN also reported that one of the operations carried out in the Azerbaijani border area was the assassination of Rahman Moqadam, the commander of the Special Operations Division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The report accused Moqadam of being responsible for training and operating intelligence networks that were critical of Israel and Western interests.
The Azerbaijani government has strongly denied the allegations, with its embassy in Israel calling the CNN report “baseless and baseless.” The Azerbaijani government has said its territory has never been used for operations against another country.
CNN said it had contacted the Somaliland Foreign Ministry, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and the Israeli military for official comment, but had not received a response by the time of publication.
The report comes at a time when relations between Somaliland and Israel have significantly improved after Israel became the first country to officially recognize Somaliland in December 2025. The move drew criticism from member states of the Arab League and the African Union.
CNN noted that Somaliland has long been a site of interest to regional and international powers, particularly the city of Berbera, where the United Arab Emirates has extensive investment and a military presence.
There has been no official confirmation from Somaliland or Israel regarding the existence of the base that was reportedly used in the war.
