NATO air defences in Turkey intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile over the Eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday, with debris from the interceptor falling in the south of the country without causing casualties, the Turkish government announced.
According to a statement from the Turkish Ministry of Defence, the missile was fired from Iran and crossed Iraq and Syria before heading into Turkish airspace, where it was neutralised by NATO air defence and anti-missile systems stationed in the region.
A fragment of the projectile fell in the municipality of Dörtyol, in the Mediterranean province of Hatay, the ministry added.
The Atlantic Alliance has already reacted, condemning the launch of the Iranian missile intercepted in Turkish airspace. “NATO stands firmly with all its allies, including Turkey, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region,” said the organisation’s spokesperson, Allison Hart.
This was the first incident recorded on Turkish soil — a NATO member state — since the US and Israeli air strikes against Iran began on Saturday.
The Turkish Ministry of Defence did not say what the Iranian missile’s target was, but the projectile’s trajectory is consistent with a launch from western Iran towards Incirlik Air Base, near Adana in southern Turkey, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.
Incirlik is one of NATO’s main support hubs in the country and also hosts US military units.
Read more: US-Iran War: What weapons are being used and how they work (with video)
On Monday, the Turkish presidency had denied rumours circulating on social media about an alleged Iranian attack on Incirlik, stressing that Turkey is not part of the ongoing conflict with Iran.
