Ministry of Nationwide Defence says no casualties or injury after missile shot down over southern metropolis of Gaziantep.
Revealed On 9 Mar 2026
The Turkish Ministry of Nationwide Defence says NATO air defences have intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran in direction of Turkiye as issues develop that the United States-Israel war against Iran will escalate.
The missile was intercepted on Monday over the Sahinbey district of Gaziantep in southern Turkiye, the ministry mentioned in a press release. No casualties or injury have been reported.
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“Ankara emphasised its functionality and dedication to guard nationwide airspace and border safety, whereas warning that additional escalation within the area should be averted,” the assertion mentioned.
The ministry additionally urged all sides, particularly Tehran, “to chorus from actions that would endanger civilians or undermine regional stability”.
Monday’s incident was the second time an Iranian ballistic missile was fired in direction of Turkiye for the reason that US and Israel launched a conflict towards Iran on February 28, in keeping with native authorities.
The US-Israeli assaults have prompted a wave of Iranian missile and drone strikes throughout the broader area, together with on targets in Arab Gulf nations.
Iran didn’t instantly touch upon the Turkish ministry’s assertion.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart confirmed that the army alliance had intercepted “a missile heading to Turkiye”. “NATO stands agency in its readiness to defend all Allies towards any risk,” Hart said in a publish on X.
Iran denied firing a ballistic missile in direction of Turkiye on Wednesday after Turkish authorities mentioned NATO air defences shot down a projectile over the Jap Mediterranean.
NATO condemned that launch, expressing its “full solidarity” with Turkiye.
“It is a tangible demonstration of the Alliance’s skill to defend our populations towards all threats, together with these posed by ballistic missiles,” NATO said of the interception.
Article 5 of the alliance’s North Atlantic Treaty says an assault on one NATO nation shall be thought-about an assault on all. It additionally commits every NATO member state to taking motion deemed vital “to revive and preserve” safety.
In an interview with the Reuters information company final week after the primary ballistic missile heading in direction of Turkiye was shot down, NATO chief Mark Rutte mentioned there was no speak of invoking Article 5.
Iranian authorities have mentioned they’re firing at US army bases and different US- and Israel-linked targets throughout the area in self-defence, however civilian infrastructure has additionally been attacked.
“Iran’s targets aren’t simply US bases; they’re, in actual fact, primarily large-scale infrastructure and civilian targets as nicely,” mentioned Rob Geist Pinfold, a lecturer in defence research at King’s Faculty London.
“This isn’t a mistake. That is by design,” Pinfold informed Al Jazeera, explaining that Tehran is in search of to “unleash as a lot chaos as doable to destabilise the region and international markets” in an effort to power Washington to desert the conflict.
“We’ve seen that Iran is concentrating on each single [Gulf Cooperation Council] state. It’s ready to burn its bridges with all of them to pursue this very unsure and high-risk technique,” he mentioned.
“It actually exhibits you the way Iran feels prefer it’s dealing with an existential risk. For them, this can be a actual do-or-die second.”
