NATO forces shot down an Iranian ballistic missile over Turkey. This is the third time
A missile launched from Iran was neutralized by NATO air and missile defenses in the Eastern Mediterranean / Photo: Karlis Dambrans / Shutterstock.com
NATO on Friday, March 13, intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile that entered Turkish airspace, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement quoted by Bloomberg. According to Turkish media, the interception apparently took place in the sky above Incirlik airbase, where hundreds of U.S. military personnel are stationed - sirens sounded there, the agency reports.
This is the third such interception since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran. After the previous ones, Bloomberg noted an increased risk of more direct NATO involvement in the conflict in the Middle East.
The alliance responded by strengthening its air defense assets in Turkey, deploying another Patriot system in Malatya province in the east of the country in addition to the one at Incirlik. And Ankara has warned Tehran against strikes on its territory and widening the conflict in the region. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that he was coordinating further steps with NATO allies to ensure security. So far, Turkey has sought to avoid escalating tensions with Iran, Bloomberg noted.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
