Editing Israel Defense Forces (section)

===Azerbaijan===
{{Further|Azerbaijan–Israel relations}}
Azerbaijan and Israel have engaged in intense cooperation since 1992.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news.az/articles/politics/30558 |title=interview with Norma Zager |publisher=News.az |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=16 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116073136/http://www.news.az/articles/politics/30558 |url-status=live }}</ref> Israeli military have been a major provider of battlefield aviation, artillery, antitank, and anti-infantry weaponry to Azerbaijan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2287 |title=Good Relations between Azerbaijan and Israel: A Model for Other Muslim States in Eurasia? |publisher=Washingtoninstitute.org |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-date=21 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821072044/http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2287 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Jane's Defence Weekly, 16 October 1996</ref> In 2009, Israeli President [[Shimon Peres]] made a visit to Azerbaijan where military relations were expanded further, with the Israeli company [[Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd]] announcing it was going to build a factory in [[Baku]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Aeronautics to build plant in Azerbaijan |author=Ora Coren |url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1096354.html |newspaper=Haaretz |date=29 June 2009 |access-date=5 March 2012 |archive-date=4 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004040420/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1096354.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2012, Israel and Azerbaijan signed an agreement according to which state-run [[Israel Aerospace Industries]] would sell $1.6&nbsp;billion in drones and anti-aircraft and missile defense systems to Azerbaijan.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/israel-signs-deal-to-provide-azerbaijan-with-16-billion-in-military-equipment/2012/02/26/gIQAjtmQbR_story.html Israel signs deal to provide Azerbaijan with $1.6 billion in military equipment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226224207/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/israel-signs-deal-to-provide-azerbaijan-with-16-billion-in-military-equipment/2012/02/26/gIQAjtmQbR_story.html |date=26 February 2012 }}. ''The Washington Post''. 26 February 2012.</ref> In March 2012, the magazine ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' reported that the [[Israeli Air Force]] may be preparing to use the [[Sitalchay Military Airbase]], located {{convert|500|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the Iranian border, for air strikes against the [[nuclear program of Iran]],<ref name="FP 2012">{{cite news|last=Perry|first=mark|title=Israel's Secret Staging Ground|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/03/28/israel_s_secret_staging_ground?page=full|access-date=29 March 2012|newspaper=[[Foreign Policy]]|date=28 March 2012|archive-date=31 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331205424/http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/03/28/israel_s_secret_staging_ground?page=full|url-status=live}}</ref> later backed up by other media.<ref>{{cite news |title=Azerbaijan eyes aiding Israel against Iran |author=Thomas Grove |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-israel-azerbaijan-idUSBRE88T05L20120930 |work=Reuters |date=30 September 2012 |access-date=1 July 2017 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924171023/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/30/us-iran-israel-azerbaijan-idUSBRE88T05L20120930 |url-status=live }}</ref>