On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced that a ballistic missile launched from Iran, which had crossed the airspace of Iraq and Syria, was detected and identified as heading toward Turkish airspace. It was intercepted and neutralized in time by NATO air and missile defense forces deployed in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea.
Iranian Emad medium-range ballistic missile / Photo: Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics
A fragment of the missile that fell in the Dörtyol area in Hatay Province was identified as part of the surface-to-air missile that intercepted the threat in the air. Additional debris was spotted near Al-Qamishli in northeastern Syria. No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident.
According to the statement, “our determination and capability to ensure the security of our country and citizens are at the highest level. Although Turkey supports regional stability and peace, it is capable of ensuring the security of its territory and citizens regardless of who poses the threat and from where it originates. Any steps necessary to defend our territory and airspace will be taken decisively and without hesitation. We remind that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions against our country.”
It was also added that “we warn all parties against actions that could lead to further escalation of the conflict in the region. In this context, we will continue consultations with NATO and our allies.”
Etkisiz Hâle Getirilen Balistik Mühimmat ile İlgili Açıklama#MillîSavunmaBakanlığı pic.twitter.com/F59bAU7AhW
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) March 4, 2026
UPDATE
A guided missile destroyer of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer belonging to the United States Navy and deployed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea reportedly launched a SM-3 interceptor missile to shoot down an Iranian medium-range ballistic missile that had been launched overnight toward the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, a source in the United States Department of Defense told Michael Weiss of The Insider.
An Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer with the U.S. Navy, positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean, utilized a Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) to intercept an Iranian medium-range ballistic missile that was launched overnight at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, a U.S. military… pic.twitter.com/tPv5oTBVSn
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 4, 2026