This picture shows debris of a NATO air defense system that intercepted a missile from Iran headed to Turkey earlier this week, as members of the military alliance feel the heat from the war in the Middle East.
Iran has been attacking multiple countries in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes against it. It has struck the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Its northern neighbor, Azerbaijan, said an Iranian drone injured two civilians on Thursday.
Countries further afield have also been impacted with drones targeting a British airbase in Cyprus this week, while Turkey said NATO air and missile defense systems shot down a missile heading for its airspace on Wednesday. Both countries are members of NATO, bound by Article 5 of its treaty to unite in defense of any member that is attacked.
Visiting North Macedonia on Tuesday, before Turkey claimed it had shot down the Iranian missile, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called Iran an “exporter of chaos” that posed “far-reaching” danger. But he added that the alliance collectively “defend every inch of NATO territory” if needed.
But the bar for a response by the military alliance remains high, experts have said.
