The projectile was intercepted as it approached Turkish airspace via Syria, according to the country’s Defense Ministry
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry has announced that NATO anti-aircraft systems in the Eastern Mediterranean successfully shot down an Iranian ballistic missile heading towards Turkish airspace.
The Turkish Defense Ministry stated on Wednesday that the projectile was detected traversing Iraq and Syria and was destroyed in a “timely manner” by the US-led military bloc’s defenses.
Fragments from the interceptor missile, used to neutralize the incoming projectile, landed in Türkiye’s southern Hatay province, though they caused no damage on the ground, the ministry reported.
“We urge all parties to refrain from actions that could lead to a further escalation of conflict in the region. We will continue to consult with NATO and our other allies in this context,” it added.
Ankara reserves the right to respond to “any hostile actions against our country” and will take all necessary steps to “defend our territory and airspace,” the ministry warned.
The Turkish military did not provide further details on the exact crash site of the shot-down missile’s debris or the projectile’s presumed target.
Ankara has distanced itself from the ongoing Israeli-US attacks on Iran, asserting that it has not assisted Washington in any capacity. Türkiye “does not permit any of its air, land, or maritime assets, including its airspace, to be used for operational purposes in any conflict or war to which it is not a party,” the country’s Center for Combating Disinformation stated on Saturday.
“Claims circulating on certain social media platforms that Türkiye has supported the recent attacks against Iran are entirely unfounded and constitute disinformation aimed at misleading the public,” the body emphasized.