Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency reported that sirens were heard early Friday at Incirlik Air Base, a major NATO facility where US forces are stationed.Residents of Adana, located about 10 kilometers from the base, woke up at about 3.25 a.m. local time (0025 GMT) with sirens sounding for about five minutes.
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Footage circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke in the sky, with many users sharing photos of a glowing object, indicating it may be a missile heading towards the air base, according to the Associated Press news agency.
A red alert was issued at the facility and sirens were heard from fire engines and security forces throughout the city.This incident comes just four days after NATO air defenses shot down a ballistic missile in Turkish airspace launched from Iran, which is the second such interception within five days.
NATO had previously intercepted a missile on March 4, prompting Türkiye to issue a stern warning to Tehran against “provocative steps.”The latest escalation comes amid ongoing US-Israeli military operations against Iran, which have sparked strikes across the Middle East. While Türkiye has remained largely untouched, the threat to Incirlik has raised concerns, especially since the base is believed to store US B61 nuclear bombs.
Washington also closed its consulate in Adana and urged all American citizens to leave southeastern Türkiye amid security concerns.In addition to Incirlik, US forces are stationed at Kurcek Air Base in central Türkiye, where the Patriot missile defense system was deployed on Tuesday as part of NATO precautionary measures.
