Israel Secretly Aided Azerbaijan in Artsakh Issue, Media Reports

Israel provided significant weaponry in secret support of Azerbaijan's campaign to establish control over Nagorno-Karabakh ahead of its September offensive. This information was reported by the Associated Press, referencing experts and Armenian officials.

Weeks before the start of Azerbaijan's military operations, Azeri military cargo planes frequently flew between a southern Israeli airbase and an airport near Nagorno-Karabakh, according to flight tracking data. This has raised concerns in Yerevan, which has long been wary of the strategic alliance between Israel and Azerbaijan.

“It is a serious problem for us that Israeli weapons are being used against our people,” Armenia's Ambassador to Israel Arman Hakobyan told the agency. The diplomat expressed his concerns to Israeli politicians and lawmakers regarding the supply of weapons to Azerbaijan in recent weeks.

“I do not understand why Israel cannot at least express some concern regarding the fate of those displaced from their homeland,” said Hakobyan.

Experts cited by AP believe that the heavy artillery, rocket systems, and drones used by Azerbaijan in September were primarily supplied by Israel and Turkey. The Israeli Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Defense have declined to comment.

The agency notes that Israel is making a significant bet on Azerbaijan, which is a crucial source of oil and a “loyal ally in the fight against Israel's sworn enemy, Iran.” Baku is also a profitable buyer of modern weapons.

According to AP, Azerbaijan supplies at least 40 percent of Israel’s oil needs. Experts suggest that between 2016 and 2020, Israeli supplies accounted for nearly 70 percent of Azerbaijan's arsenal, giving Baku an advantage over Yerevan and bolstering Israel's extensive defense industry.