ISTANBUL – Turkey authorities said on Tuesday that it was reinforcing its air defence systems after two missiles were fired toward its territory from Iran.
As part of corresponding NATO measures, a Patriot missile defence system is being prepared for deployment in the eastern Turkish province of Malatya, the Ministry of Defence in Ankara announced on Tuesday.
The ministry says the system is intended to strengthen protection of Turkish airspace.
On Monday, NATO member Turkey intercepted a missile for the second time within a week, which had been fired from Iran onto Turkish territory.
Debris from the intercepted projectile reportedly fell on open ground near the southern city of Gaziantep, close to the border with Syria.
A similar incident occurred last week when a ballistic missile was intercepted in the border region with Iran.
Debris from that interception landed in open terrain in the province of Hatay Province.
Authorities said no injuries were reported in either case.
It remained unclear what the missiles were targeting.
Turkey hosted foreign military personnel at several installations, including the NATO base at İncirlik Air Base in the country’s southeast, where U.S. troops were stationed.
Following the incidents, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
According to Ankara, Pezeshkian denied that the intercepted missiles were of Iranian origin. (dpa/NAN)
