Azerbaijan, CNN and the question Israel should ask itself | Alex Greenberg

Alex Greenberg analyzes Azerbaijan's lawsuit against CNN following a report on Israeli military presence on its territory, and poses a pointed question to Israel about the lack of a legal and institutional strategy in the information war.

Alex Greenberg analyzes Azerbaijan's lawsuit against CNN in a U.S. federal court, following a report that Israel stationed military and intelligence personnel on its territory for operations against Iran. Baku rejected the claims and clarified that it does not allow the use of its territory for military activity against a neighboring country. Greenberg notes that such reports could have real security implications, as evidenced by the penetration of Iranian drones into Azerbaijan's airspace in March 2026, which struck near an airport and a school. The author claims that CNN relied on anonymous sources, and that even Iranian officials rejected parts of the description, but the report had already been treated as a finished fact. Greenberg draws a comparison to Israel, which he argues does not operate a structured legal or institutional strategy against hostile reports, leaving the fight to private entities. He emphasizes that Azerbaijan has shown a willingness to use legal and diplomatic tools, and Israel should learn from this.