Kamal Ghorui
Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu reported that sirens were heard early Friday at Incirlik airbase, a key Nato facility where US troops are stationed.Residents of Adana, located about 10 kilometres from the base were woken at around 3.25 am local time (0025 GMT) as sirens sounded for roughly five minutes.
Footage circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke in the sky, with several users sharing images of a glowing object, suggesting it could be a missile headed toward the airbase, according to news agency AP.A red alert was issued at the facility and sirens from fire engines and security forces were heard across the city.The incident comes just four days after Nato air defenses shot down a ballistic missile in Turkish airspace fired from Iran, the second such interception in five days.
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Nato had previously intercepted a missile on March 4, prompting Turkey to issue a stern warning to Tehran against “provocative steps.”The recent escalation comes amid the ongoing US-Israeli military operations against Iran, which have sparked strikes across the Middle East. While Turkey had largely remained spared, the threat to Incirlik has raised alarms, especially since the base is believed to store US B61 nuclear bombs.Washington has also closed its consulate in Adana, urging all American citizens to leave southeastern Turkey amid security concerns.In addition to Incirlik, US troops are stationed at Kurecik Airbase in central Turkey, where a Patriot missile defense system was deployed on Tuesday as part of NATO’s precautionary measures.
