Azerbaijan disrupts alleged ISIS K directed plot against Israeli embassy in Baku
Source: The Diplomatic Insight
Executive Summary
Azerbaijan says it arrested three young men who allegedly coordinated with Islamic State Khorasan members, obtained weapons, and prepared an attack on a foreign embassy in Baku driven by religious hostility. Reporting identifies the intended target as the Israeli embassy. The case fits a broader pattern of attempted and disrupted attacks against Israeli diplomatic facilities since the October 2023 Hamas attack and the subsequent Gaza war, while also highlighting continued concern about ISIS K outreach beyond Afghanistan.
Analysis
The arrests indicate Azerbaijan is treating ISIS K connected plotting as an active threat vector, particularly when it involves weapons acquisition and suspected external direction. If the target was Israel’s embassy as reported, the alleged plot also reflects how high visibility Israeli sites remain attractive targets for jihadist actors seeking symbolic impact and international attention.
Azerbaijan’s State Security Service said three suspects established links with ISIS K members, acquired weapons, and were preparing an attack on a foreign embassy in Baku before being stopped, and were charged with preparing terrorism motivated by religious hostility.
The Times of Israel reported the planned target was the Israeli embassy in Baku and said the suspects were acting on instructions from ISIS K, with planning described as having begun months earlier.
Azerbaijan’s location near Russia and Iran and its connections across the South Caucasus and Central Asia create potential exposure to transnational facilitation and radicalization pathways even in a secular state. The reporting also frames the incident within an elevated global security environment for Israeli missions, where recent years have seen attempted breaches, arson attempts, and disrupted plots in multiple countries.
