Azerbaijan Intel: BTC Pipeline & Iran Border

On April 22, 2026, Israeli intelligence revealed a foiled IRGC Unit 4000 terror plot targeting the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and Israeli/Jewish facilities in Baku's Sabail district. A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck the Caspian Sea near Baku on April 27, though no major damage was reported. Meanwhile, the EU lifted sanctions on five ASCO/SOCAR vessels operating out of Baku on April 24. Regionally, the US State Department reiterated urgent calls for Americans to evacuate Iran, including Azerbaijan's Astara and Bilasuvar crossings, as the Strait of Hormuz blockade continues. In Karabakh, a civilian lost his leg in a mine explosion in the Aghdere district on April 27. Domestically, the government arrested eight State Mobilization Service officials for bribery on April 24. Regarding prior watched events, the forecasted Khazri wind event has materialized, with winds reaching 45 km/h in Baku, prompting advisories for offshore operations. The expected Baku Metro disruptions were successfully mitigated by AYNA deploying additional surface buses. The Baku 2040 Master Plan demolitions continue across the city. Baku-based personnel should maintain heightened situational awareness near Jewish/Israeli landmarks in Sabail and energy infrastructure in Binagadi. Avoid non-essential travel to the southern Iranian border due to expected evacuation surges, and prepare for localized traffic delays in Nasimi, Yasamal, and Sabunchu districts today due to nationwide 9th-grade exams involving 55,000 students.

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