NATO Air Defense Destroys Ballistic Missile Fired from Iran

Illustration of the launch of Iran's Shahab-3 ballistic missile. (Wikimedia Commons/Hossein Velayati)

Turkish authorities said the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) air defenses destroyed a ballistic missile fired from Iran as it headed into Turkish airspace on Wednesday, marking the first time a member of the alliance has been involved in the wider Middle East conflict.

It was not clear where the missile was headed, but a NATO spokesman said the trans-Atlantic defense bloc condemned Iran's targeting of Turkey and they stood firmly with all allies.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense said the missile had passed through Iraq and Syria before being shot down by NATO air and missile defense systems deployed in the eastern Mediterranean.

There was no immediate comment from the United States, which has air forces stationed at Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey. The base is in a province bordering Hatay Province, where Turkish authorities say debris from a downed NATO missile has fallen.

"We warn all parties to refrain from actions that will lead to further escalation of the conflict in the region. In this context, we will continue to consult with NATO and our other allies," the Ministry of Defense said, adding that there were no casualties or injuries, reported Al Arabiya from Reuters (5/3).

"All necessary steps to defend our territory and airspace will be taken firmly and without hesitation. We remind all parties that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile act against our country," he added.

Two other initial statements by senior Turkish officials on the incident did not mention Article 4 of NATO, which states that Allies will "consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security" of a member state is threatened.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed his protest to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in a phone call after the incident, a Turkish diplomatic source said.

It is known that Ankara attempted to mediate talks between Iran and the United States a few weeks before the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran, which triggered missile and drone attacks by Tehran. Several countries in the Gulf and elsewhere have been affected.