NATO 'will always defend' Turkey: chief says

Washington D.C.: Nato chief Mark Rutte has said the alliance would do “what’s necessary to defend” its members, including Turkiye, after intercepting four missiles fired from Iran and heading into Turkish airspace over the past weeks.

Nato forces had shot down ballistic missiles fired from Iran for four times, prompting the alliance to deploy a new Patriot missile battery at Incirlik air base in southern Turkiye.

“Iran is spreading terror and chaos, and you feel this prominently here in Turkiye,” Rutte told journalists on a visit to Turkiye’s largest defence electronics company Aselsan.

“In recent weeks, Nato has successfully intercepted ballistic missiles heading to Turkey from Iran on four separate occasions,” he said.

“Nato is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend Turkiye and all others. And we cannot do it alone,” he added.