Nato intercepts Iran missile fired towards Turkey
There was a similar incident last week, with the latest Nato interception coming amid Iran’s targeting of several nations as it retaliates
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran towards Turkey on Monday, according to a statement by the Defence Ministry, raising the risk that the military alliance could be drawn more directly into the conflict in the Middle East.
It follows a similar interception on March 4, after which Nato said it strengthened its missile-defence posture in the region.
Debris from the munition landed in Gaziantep province in southern Turkey, around 150km (93 miles) from the Incirlik Air Base – where hundreds of US military personnel are stationed and where US nuclear weapons are widely believed to be stored – and about 200km from an advanced Nato radar system in Kurecik used to support Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile systems.
Ankara has not allowed its bases or airspace to be used for strikes on Iran. After the first attempted attack against Turkey, it also warned Tehran against actions that could expand the conflict further.
02:28
Cheers and protests greet choice of new Iranian supreme leader
As it finds its territory targeted again, Ankara is now likely to face pressure to respond to Iran more forcefully.