Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirms a missile was intercepted as it neared Turkish airspace, having traveled over Iraq and Syria.
Date of Publication: 4 Mar 2026
According to the Turkish Ministry of Defence, a ballistic missile launched from Iran and detected traversing Syrian and Iraqi airspace en route to Turkey was successfully neutralized by NATO air defense systems.
The intended target of the missile remained unspecified.
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“A ballistic projectile originating from Iran, which had been tracked through Iraqi and Syrian skies and was approaching Turkish territory, was promptly intercepted by NATO air and missile defense units positioned in the eastern Mediterranean and incapacitated,” the ministry declared in a statement issued Wednesday.
The ministry confirmed no fatalities or wounded, further stating that Ankara maintains the right to retaliate against any aggressive acts, urging all involved parties to avoid escalating the current conflict.
Reuters news agency reported that during a phone conversation, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan lodged Ankara’s complaint with his Iranian counterpart regarding a ballistic missile launched from Iran that was directed towards Turkish airspace.
Reuters also stated that Fidan cautioned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi against taking any actions that might exacerbate the conflict.
NATO denounced Iran’s targeting of Turkey, with spokesperson Allison Hart emphasizing that the organization “stands steadfastly with all its Allies, including Turkey”.
Hart asserted, “Our collective deterrence and defense capabilities are robust across all operational areas, notably concerning air and missile defense.”
Incirlik Air Base, located in Turkey, serves as a facility for international military forces, predominantly those of the US and other NATO member states. Although managed by the Turkish air force, it functions as a collaborative Turkish-US airbase.
During the 1991 Gulf War, Incirlik proved essential for logistics and aerial support in US-led operations in Iraq, subsequently becoming a significant cargo distribution center for operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Turkey withheld permission for the US to utilize the base during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, yet it saw extensive use for anti-ISIL (ISIS) air strikes starting in 2014.
Cyprus enacts temporary airspace closure
Elsewhere in the eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday, Cypriot authorities implemented an airspace closure over Larnaca following the identification of what they described as a suspicious airborne object.
Last Sunday, an Iranian-manufactured drone inflicted minor damage at a British military installation on the island. Subsequently, two additional drones were intercepted and downed on Monday.
“Two Greek fighter jets were deployed Wednesday to intercept a suspected drone operating just beyond Cypriot airspace,” Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos reported from Limassol, Cyprus.
“Furthermore, Greek frigates are patrolling the maritime area surrounding Cyprus, assisting in providing targeting data for two pairs of F-16 aircraft dispatched from Greece, intended to operate collaboratively.”
Psaropoulos noted that the nation’s security posture remains elevated, despite an absence of new strikes over the preceding two days.
He stated, “The incident on Sunday night was isolated, but due to other drones observed heading towards Cyprus, it was considered essential to deploy all available resources here to ensure these unmanned aircraft continue to be neutralized at sea.”