The Turkish government announced on Tuesday that it has deployed a battery of the US Patriot air defence system to the southeastern province of Malatya as part of NATO's measures to "support the protection of its airspace" in response to the interception of two missiles allegedly fired from Iran in recent days. The development comes amid the conflict in the Middle East triggered by the offensive launched against Iran on 28 February by the United States and Israel.
In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence said, "The Turkish Armed Forces are fully committed to the security of our country and our citizens. In light of recent developments in our region, the necessary measures are being taken to protect our borders and airspace, and we are in consultations with NATO and our allies."
The Ministry also emphasised that "in addition to the national measures implemented, NATO has strengthened its air and missile defence measures." "In this framework, a Patriot System is currently present in Malatya and is being prepared for operational readiness to support the protection of our airspace,” the statement added.
The Ministry stated, "Maintaining its defence and security capacity at the highest level, our country will continue to evaluate progress in cooperation and consultation with NATO and our allies and make efforts for regional peace and stability." Malatya is home to the KürecikRadar Base, which detects missiles launched toward the country.