Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant leaves for Baku today to meet Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov.

Gallant’s two-day visit to Azerbaijan signals rapidly expanding ties between the two countries.

The Times of Israel, referring to an Israeli Defense Ministry statement, writes, “the visit will focus on bolstering strategic ties in diplomacy, security and technology.”

In March, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov opened Baku’s first-ever embassy in Israel.