Turkey Holds Patriot Missile Defense System After Two Missiles Approach Its Airspace

JAKARTA - Turkish authorities on Tuesday said they deployed a Patriot missile defense system in central Turkey, a day after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) intercepted a second ballistic missile fired from Iran in Turkish airspace.

"Necessary measures are being taken for the security of our borders and airspace, and consultations are being carried out with NATO and our allies," the Turkish Defense Ministry said, citing Al Arabiya from AFP (10/3).

"In addition to the steps we have taken at the national level, NATO has strengthened its air and missile defense measures," the ministry continued.

"Within this scope, the Patriot system assigned to support the protection of our airspace is being deployed in Malatya," the ministry said.

Located in central Turkey, Malatya is known as the location of the Kurecik air base, a key facility guarded by US forces that houses a NATO early warning radar system that can detect Iranian missile launches.

Although Ankara has emphatically denied it, the radar data has been used to help Israel, its existence has made Tehran worried.

The deployment comes a day after NATO shot down a second Iranian missile, prompting Washington to close its consulate in the southern city of Adana and urge all American citizens to leave southeastern Turkey.

In addition to Kurecik, US forces are also stationed at Incirlik air base, another important NATO facility just 10 kilometers (six miles) outside Adana.

Kurecik is located about 350 kilometers further to the northeast.

Since the US-Israeli war against Iran began, Tehran has launched attacks across the Middle East. In addition to two interceptions over five days, Turkey seems to have escaped attacks.

After the first ballistic missile was shot down in Turkish airspace on March 4, NATO said it had strengthened "ballistic missile defense posture across the alliance," but provided no details for operational security reasons.

Incirlik and Kurecik bases are a highly sensitive issue for Turkey, with police arresting three journalists on "national security violations" charges related to footage taken near Incirlik just hours after the Iranian attack began.