NATO's ballistic missile defense posture to remain at 'heightened level' due to threat from Iran

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) announced Thursday that the ballistic missile defense posture will remain at "heightened level" until Iran's retaliatory attacks across the region subsidy.

"I can confirm that yesterday, in addition to NATO's successful intercept of a ballistic missile from Iran that targeted Türkiye, which that nation was the first to announce, NATO increased its Alliance-wide ballistic missile defence posture," Martin L. O'Donnell, spokesperson for SHAPE, said in a written statement.

O'Donnell noted that the action was taken by the commander of NATO's Air Command, "who further recommended NATO's ballistic missile defence posture remain at this heightened level until the threat from Iran's continued indiscriminate attacks across the region subsides."

"While I cannot go into details about this posture change for operational security reasons, the adjustment gives the Supreme Allied Commander Europe exactly what he needs to defend the Alliance based upon the current threat and defend it he will!" the statement added.

The statement came after the Turkish National Defense Ministry said Wednesday that a ballistic munition fired from Iran and directed toward Turkish airspace was intercepted and neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Israel and the US continue a large-scale offensive on Iran that began Feb. 28, killing over 900 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military officials.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries, which are home to US military assets.