An Iranian missile that entered Turkish airspace was successfully intercepted by NATO air and missile defence systems deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirmed in the last few hours, stressing that Ankara is ready to respond firmly to any threat to its sovereignty.
In a statement released late yesterday, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence (MSB) reported that a ballistic missile launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was detected and neutralised by NATO air and missile defence elements before it could pose a danger, stressing the effectiveness of coordinated defence mechanisms in the region.
“A ballistic munition, determined to have been launched from Iran and to have entered into Turkish airspace, has been neutralized by NATO air and missile defence assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. All necessary measures are being taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country’s territory and airspace, and all developments in the region are being closely monitored with priority given to our national security“, the statement said, quoted by the Turkish news portal TRT Haber.
The Atlantic Alliance also confirmed the interception of the ballistic missile; a NATO spokeswoman said the organisation again neutralised an Iranian missile headed towards Turkey and reiterated that the organisation is prepared and has the necessary capabilities to defend all all allies.
Missiles launched by Iran appear to be targeting NATO facilities in Turkey
This new incident involving a ballistic missile launched from Iran would be the fourth recorded this month and since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict. On 4 March, the Turkish Defence Ministry confirmed that an Iranian-launched ballistic munition had been detected after passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace and destroyed before reaching Turkey, with some remnants of the intercepting missile falling in the Dörtyol district of Turkish Hatay province.
On 9 March, a second Iranian missile that penetrated the airspace of Türkiye was neutralised in mid-air, with some debris falling in fields in the province of Gaziantep without causing casualties. Finally, on 13 March, Turkish authorities and NATO representatives confirmed the downing of another missile in the early hours of the morning.
So far, indications are that the Iranian missiles were aimed at the Turkish base at İncirlik, located just outside the city of Adana on Turkey’s southern coast, where US troops are deployed, as well as the NATO radar station at Kürecik in the province of Malatya.
The Alliance has recently reinforced air defence systems in Turkey with the deployment of two additional Patriot systems in Malatya and İncirlik. Ankara has protested to Tehran about these violations of its sovereignty and airspace, warning of consequences if they continue to be repeated, but Iran insists that it denies responsibility for these attacks and claims that behind them could be ‘false flag operations’ that seek to implicate Turkey in the conflict.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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