Overview
- NATO and Turkey said a ballistic projectile launched from Iran was neutralized Monday, the fourth such interception since the Iran war escalated on February 28.
- Turkey said the object entered its airspace and was taken down by units based in the Eastern Mediterranean, and authorities reported no casualties.
- NATO confirmed the action and stressed the defensive nature of the response, which officials have said does not automatically trigger the alliance’s Article 5 clause.
- Ankara is leaning on deployed Patriot batteries on land and U.S. Navy ships with SM-3 interceptors at sea, systems used to shoot down ballistic missiles during flight.
- Iran has denied at least one earlier case and proposed a joint technical review, as Turkey advances its Steel Dome program that has not shown anti-ballistic capability and keeps its S-400s out of use.