rki.news
NATO has deployed an additional Patriot air defense system to southern Türkiye to reinforce the country’s airspace security amid rising regional tensions.
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, the new system has been stationed in the southern province of Adana and will supplement the Spanish Patriot battery already operating there. The deployment was coordinated by Allied Air Command at Ramstein Air Base.
Turkish Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said during a press briefing that the move is part of broader measures aimed at ensuring the safety of Türkiye’s airspace and its citizens.
The decision follows an incident on March 13 when a missile launched from Iran briefly entered Turkish airspace. NATO air and missile defense units intercepted and neutralized the projectile over the Eastern Mediterranean before it could pose a threat.
Earlier, on March 10, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced that another Patriot system provided by NATO had been deployed in the eastern province of Malatya and was being prepared for operational readiness.
The developments come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following joint military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran beginning February 28. Iran and its regional allies have since responded with attacks targeting Israeli and U.S. interests across the region.