NATO shot down an Iranian ballistic missile heading towards Turkey

The Ministry of Defense in Ankara announced that on Wednesday it intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran that was heading towards Turkey. It was noted that the missile was destroyed by NATO air defenses over the eastern Mediterranean.

The missiles first flew over the territory of Iraq and Syria; No one was hurt in the incident, the ministry added.

“Turkey reserves the right to respond to any hostile action against it and warns all parties to refrain from actions that may lead to an escalation of the conflict,” the statement quoted by Reuters said.

On Saturday, Israel and the US launched airstrikes on Iran, killing, among others, the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Tehran responded by attacking Israel and several Persian Gulf countries, hitting both American bases located there and civilian facilities.

There have been no reports of Iranian attacks targeting Turkey so far.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in response to the outbreak of the war, noted that the attacks by the US and Israel clearly violate Iran's sovereignty and international law. He also condemned Iran's attacks on “brotherly countries of the Persian Gulf.” (PAP)

adj/