Erdogan vows Türkiye will avoid regional war after third missile incident

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday reiterated that Türkiye will not be drawn into the war sparked by US-Israeli attacks on Iran, following the interception of a third ballistic missile that entered Turkish airspace.

Speaking in Istanbul, Erdogan said Türkiye is acting with “great caution in face of plots, traps, provocations aimed at dragging our country into war,” adding that keeping the nation away from the conflict “fire pit” is a top priority. He also confirmed that necessary measures are being taken against any threats violating Turkish airspace.

The Turkish Defense Ministry reported that NATO air and missile defense elements deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean neutralized the missile, marking the third such incident in recent days. Sirens were sounded at Incirlik Air Base, and videos on social media showed a missile followed by an explosion.

Iranian Ambassador in Ankara, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, suggested the incident may have been carried out by “third elements” intending to harm relations between the two countries.

Earlier this week, NATO-assigned Patriot air defense systems were deployed in eastern Türkiye’s Malatya to ensure operational readiness amid escalating regional tensions.