Turkey Says NATO Defences Destroyed Incoming Iran Missile [View all]
Source: US News & World Report/Reuters
March 4, 2026, at 6:50 a.m.
ANKARA, March 4 (Reuters) - Turkey said that NATO air defences destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile headed into Turkish airspace on Wednesday, marking the first time the alliance member has been drawn into the Middle East conflict and raising the possibility of a major expansion involving its bloc allies.
Turkey - Iran's neighbour that had sought to mediate U.S.-Iran talks before the air war that began at the weekend - warned "all parties to refrain from actions that would lead to further escalation," suggesting it was not poised to call upon the trans-Atlantic defence bloc for support.
But Ankara could potentially invoke NATO's Article 4 after the airspace breach if it deemed the threat serious enough, a step that could lead to the alliance's Article 5, which would oblige members to come to its defence. It was unclear where the missile was headed. A NATO spokesperson said it condemned Iran's targeting of Turkey, which has the bloc's second-largest military, and that it stood firmly with all allies.
U.S. BASE IN NEIGHBOURING PROVINCE
The U.S. has air forces stationed at southern Turkey's Incirlik base, which is located in an area neighbouring Hatay province, where authorities said debris from the intercepting NATO missile had fallen. Iran did not immediately comment on the incident.
Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-03-04/turkey-says-nato-defences-destroyed-missile-fired-from-iran-over-mediterranean
(from here - https://www.af.mil/News/Art/igphoto/2001490257/)
Looking at that border on the far right. 'Nuff said.
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