Iran fired a ballistic missile to Turkey, the Defense Ministry in Ankara said on Wednesday. It is a serious incident that could spread the war in the Middle East even wider, as Turkey is a NATO member and it’s the first time Tehran targets a member of the North Atlantic Alliance.
İran'dan ateşlenen balistik mühimmat Hatay'a düştü: İlk görüntüler paylaşıldı
MSB, İran’dan ateşlendiği ve Irak ile Suriye hava sahasını geçerek Türkiye’ye yöneldiği tespit edilen bir balistik mühimmatın Doğu Akdeniz’de konuşlu NATO hava ve füze savunma unsurları tarafından… pic.twitter.com/eGH9jVY593
— Cumhuriyet (@cumhuriyetgzt) March 4, 2026
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan already contacted his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, expressing Ankara’s angry reaction.
The NATO condemned the incident, saying it stands firmly with all its allies.
At 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that NATO air defenses shot down an Iranian ballistic missile that was fired toward Turkish airspace and debris fell in Dortyol village in the Hatay province in the most south part of Turkey.
It is highly possible that the missile was targeting the US/NATO air base of Incirlic, approximately 190 km from Dortyol and 8 km from the city of Adana.
Turkish Defense Ministry
A ballistic missile fired from Iran and tracked as it crossed Iraqi and Syrian airspace before turning toward Türkiye was neutralized by NATO air and missile defense elements deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the ministry said NATO assets “engaged in time” and rendered the threat ineffective.
It said a fragment that fell in the Dörtyol district of the southern province of Hatay was identified as part of the air defense munition used for the interception, after the threat was destroyed in the air.
No deaths or injuries were reported, the ministry said.
Türkiye’s resolve and capacity to ensure the security of the country and its citizens “are at the highest level,” the statement added, warning that steps to defend Turkish territory and airspace would be taken “decisively and without hesitation.”
The ministry also said Türkiye reserves the right to respond to any hostile act directed at the country, and urged all parties to avoid moves that could widen the conflict across the region.
It said Ankara would continue consultations with NATO and other allies.
Turkish Presidency
Communications Director of the Turkish Presidency Burhanettin Duran also said Turkish institutions monitored the incident “in real time” in full coordination, adding that consultations and cooperation with NATO and allies would continue, and repeating a warning against steps that could further raise tensions and expand clashes.
🔴 İran’dan ateşlenen mühimmat parçası Hatay’a düştü
➥ Milli Savunma Bakanlığı’ndan yapılan açıklamada İran’dan ateşlenip Irak ve Suriye hava sahasını geçtikten sonra havada imha edilen mühimmat parçasının Hatay’ın Dörtyol ilçesine düştüğü açıklandı.
📢 Yapılan çalışmalarda… https://t.co/1VYILM3Nwn pic.twitter.com/2ti0D8YLAU
— Haber 7 (@Haber7) March 4, 2026
NATO condemns
The NATO condemned the incident, saying it stands firmly with all its allies.
“We condemn Iran’s targeting of Turkey. NATO stands firmly with all allies, including Turkey, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region,” spokeswoman Allison Hart said.
“Our deterrent and defensive posture remains strong in all areas, including air and missile defense,” Hart said.
UPDATE
An anonymous Turkish official claimed around 4 p.m. that the Iranian ballistic missile was targeting Cyprus, not Turkey.
And consequently not the US air base in Incirlic…
It was apparently fed with wrong data, as it flew West and then North, while Cyprus is in the South.
PS For Turkey is not an easy decision to invoke Article 5 of NATO and has neighboring Iran completely bombed to the ground. Because a collapse of Iran could possibly means also loss of territories for Ankara as US and Israel try to mobilize Kurdish rebels by promising them an independent state.
Kurds are spread in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
