Politics
4th ballistic missile from Iran neutralized over Türkiye’s airspace
A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was successfully intercepted by NATO air and missile defense systems in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, underscoring Ankara’s readiness to act decisively against any threat to its sovereignty.
The ministry said the projectile was detected and neutralized before it could pose a risk, highlighting the effectiveness of coordinated defense mechanisms in the region.
It continued by emphasizing that all necessary measures are being implemented without hesitation to safeguard the country’s territory and airspace. The statement also stressed that developments across the region are being monitored closely, with national security remaining the top priority.
The interception comes amid heightened regional tensions, reinforcing Türkiye’s commitment to maintaining stability while protecting its borders through rapid and coordinated military responses.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, colleagues and friends of Mehmet Selim Kiraz joined on Tuesday a commemoration ceremony for Mehmet Selim Kiraz, the prosecutor who was killed by terrorists 11 years ago. On the same day, authorities announced a new operation into the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), which was behind the killing, and captured 12 suspects linked to the group.
Kiraz was the prosecutor behind the investigation into the death of Berkin Elvan, who was killed in the Gezi Park riots in 2014. Elvan posthumously became a poster child for DHKP-C propaganda. On March 31, 2015, two DHKP-C terrorists, including one posing as a lawyer, entered the Istanbul courthouse where Kiraz was working. The two suspects held Kiraz hostage for hours before the security forces closed in on them. The terrorists who briefly broadcast the incident live murdered Kiraz hours later. Security forces then stormed the room where Kiraz was held hostage and killed the two murderers of 46-year-old Kiraz.
The main courthouse of Istanbul in the Çağlayan neighborhood was named after the prosecutor posthumously. Gürlek, who worked at the same courthouse as chief prosecutor before his appointment as minister last February, paid tribute to Kiraz in a speech at the courthouse, near the room where Kiraz was killed, which was turned into a commemoration spot.
“These bullets were not just meant for Kiraz. They tried to attack the Turkish judiciary, but let them; the judiciary never succumbs to fear,” Gürlek said in a speech at the ceremony on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, police in Istanbul and the northern city of Giresun launched operations against the DHKP-C and detained 12 suspects who were working for an association linked to the terrorist group.
The DHKP-C is an offshoot of an extremist Marxist-Leninist movement that emerged in the 1970s and was formally established in the 1990s after splintering from a broader coalition of far-left organizations. The group has been responsible for a series of violent attacks over the decades, including the assassination of two politicians and several intelligence officials in 1980.
While the organization maintained a relatively low profile for years, it resurfaced with high-profile attacks in the past decade. In 2013, a DHKP-C militant carried out a suicide bombing at the U.S. Embassy compound in Ankara, killing a Turkish security guard.
In 2024, the group attempted a similar attack at the courthouse where they killed Kiraz, but police officers stationed outside the building thwarted the operation, killing two attackers before they could enter.
NATO reaffirmed its readiness to defend allied nations after a ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was intercepted by alliance defense systems in the Eastern Mediterranean, the bloc’s spokeswoman said Monday.
Allison Hart said the alliance remains fully prepared to respond to such threats and will take all necessary measures to protect its members.
“NATO is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend all allies,” Hart said in a statement shared on the social media platform X.
The remarks came after Türkiye’s Defense Ministry announced that the projectile had been neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The ministry noted that similar interceptions had taken place earlier this month, on March 4, 9 and 13, when ballistic munitions entering Turkish airspace were also successfully neutralized by NATO systems in the region.
Meanwhile, Chief of General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu held a video conference with NATO Military Committee Chair Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, during which regional defense and security issues were discussed, reflecting ongoing coordination between Türkiye and NATO leadership.
The repeated incidents underscore heightened regional tensions and highlight NATO’s role in supporting Türkiye’s air defense and territorial security.
Turkish Cypriot Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu dismissed reports that the Greek Cypriot administration is preparing a bid to join NATO, calling the idea unrealistic and saying neither Türkiye nor the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would allow such a move to materialize.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA) on the sidelines of the International Strategic Communication Summit (STRATCOM) 2026, organized by Türkiye’s Communications Directorate in Istanbul, Ertuğruloğlu said the Greek Cypriot administration could “keep dreaming” about NATO membership, but added that Ankara was closely watching developments and that such an outcome was not possible.
He said the Turkish Cypriot side viewed the issue as part of a broader political effort by Greek Cyprus to shift regional balances in its favor, while ignoring the realities on the island and in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Ertuğruloğlu also underscored the importance of Türkiye’s support for the TRNC saying Turkish Cypriots remain secure thanks to Ankara’s political and military backing. He described Türkiye as the Turkish Cypriot side’s sole pillar of support and said the two sides act together on both political and security matters.
Asked about possible security risks for the island as tensions continue in the region amid the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, Ertuğruloğlu said there was no likelihood of a military attack against Northern Cyprus as long as Türkiye’s security guarantee remained in place.
He said those who might consider such a move were well aware of the consequences, adding that the deployment of six Turkish F-16 fighter jets to Northern Cyprus was not without reason. He stressed that the security of Türkiye and the TRNC should be viewed as a whole.
Ertuğruloğlu said there was no hesitation over protecting the interests and security of the Turkish nation in the Eastern Mediterranean. He also praised Türkiye’s approach in the region, saying Ankara has pursued a rational policy centered on peace while also demonstrating that it is prepared to take stronger measures if necessary.
Responding to a question about whether military shipments sent to Greek side by Britain and some European Union countries could become permanent, Ertuğruloğlu said he did not believe that would happen.
He described such moves as part of what he called a political game aimed at reviving discussion of Greek Cyprus joining NATO, and said no country backing Greek Cyprus would be in a position to go to war with Türkiye.
Türkiye, over the past weeks, has deployed six F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems to the TRNC as part of a phased plan aimed at strengthening the territory’s security, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced.
The development came amid the rising tensions in the Middle East and growing military cooperation between the Greek Cypriot administration and its Western partners.
According to the Greek Cypriot and Greek media reports, two Greek frigates have recently arrived in waters controlled by the Greek Cypriot administration.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani to discuss escalating regional tensions and recent developments, Türkiye’s Presidential Communications Directorate said Monday.
During the call, Erdoğan conveyed his condolences to Barzani following an attack targeting his residence, expressing solidarity and well wishes.
The two leaders also discussed the ongoing conflict in the region, with Erdoğan emphasizing that Türkiye stands firmly against such attacks and stressing the need for an immediate end to the violence.
The conversation reflects ongoing diplomatic engagement between Ankara and the KRG amid heightened instability across the region.
Barzani’s residence in Duhok was targeted in an attack on Saturday, part of a series of escalating security incidents in northern Iraq.
More than half a dozen drone strikes were recorded across areas controlled by the KRG the same day. No group has officially claimed responsibility so far. However, in recent weeks, both Iran and Iran-backed militias in Iraq have acknowledged carrying out attacks in the region, despite the KRG maintaining a position of neutrality amid widening regional tensions.
The incidents come against the backdrop of a broader escalation in the Middle East following a joint U.S.-Israeli war against Iran launched on Feb. 28. The war has resulted in significant casualties, including the death of Iran’s then-supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
In response, Tehran has carried out multiple waves of drone and missile attacks targeting Israel as well as countries such as Jordan, Iraq and several Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets. These retaliatory strikes have caused casualties, damaged infrastructure and disrupted both global markets and international aviation.
The Communications Presidency’s Center for Countering Disinformation rejected claims that Türkiye would side with Iran in a U.S.-Israel-Iran war and make an incursion into Lebanon to that extent.
In a social media post on Monday, the center said rumors circulating on social media were “a product of disinformation.”
“Türkiye has stated from the beginning that it is not a party to the war. Under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, intensive diplomatic efforts are being carried out to end the attacks as soon as possible, prevent the spread of the war, and establish a lasting peace. This stance of Türkiye is appreciated by all actors, especially the conflicting parties. Such disinformation posts are also a part of psychological warfare and aim to damage Türkiye’s image and overshadow its constructive role in the crisis. The public is strongly requested not to rely on groundless allegations and to only take into account the statements of official authorities,” the Center said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan voiced Türkiye’s concerns about the war in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month, highlighting that Ankara did not want to be a part of the conflict.
Erdoğan last Thursday hit back at those taking sides in the U.S.-Israel-Iran war and criticized those looking at the situation through a sectarian perspective.
“There is no difference between bloodshed in Iran, (in Gulf countries), Lebanon. Everyone mercilessly slaughtered is our brothers and sisters. For attackers, there is no difference between Shiite and Sunni. We don’t discriminate between our neighbors, brothers; we stand by our brothers for the good and bad,” he said at a speech at an event organized by his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara.
“It is not right to incite the (sectarian) divide, not right to serve the Zionist agenda of dividing and conquering,” he added.
“With Israel’s provocations on Feb. 28, the operations initiated against Iran continue to drown our region in blood and the smell of gunpowder. Children who know nothing are becoming targets of bombs while listening to lessons in their schools. Our region is experiencing the most difficult period of the last century. The network of genocide is dragging our geography into a great dead end. Those mercilessly killed are our brothers. The children dying at school desks are our offspring. What is the difference between the tears shed in Isfahan, Tabriz and Tehran and those shed in Beirut, Doha, and Riyadh? What difference does it make to the massacre network if our name is Ali, Murtaza or Omer? Whether in Iran or the Gulf, are we not the ones harmed by every missile fired? Even if our sects and origins are different, is it not our blood flowing in all four corners of our geography? Let everyone be sure of this: We neither discriminate between our brothers and neighbors nor do we remain spectators to the pain of our brothers. We do not leave the brotherly and friendly nations we know in good times alone in their bad days. The heavy bill that has emerged is being paid first by Muslims and then by everyone,” he said.
Türkiye maintains close ties with all sides of the conflict except Israel. “The brotherly Turkish nation played an important role in solidarity with the Muslim ummah for years. We will continue this honorable path together, with divine blessings,” Neighboring Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a tweet last Wednesday.
Turkish prosecutors have detained four suspects as part of an embezzlement investigation linked to alleged irregularities in the accounts of a municipal company owned by the Etimesgut Municipality in Ankara, authorities said Monday.
In a statement, the Ankara West Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation was launched after Türkiye’s Court of Accounts identified irregularities during its routine 2025 audits of the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Etimesgut Municipality.
The findings were related to the municipality’s soup kitchen, food procurement and distribution operations, as well as the accounts of Etimkent A.S., a company wholly owned by the municipality.
Prosecutors said detention orders were issued for four people, including Etimkent A.S. general manager, Etimesgut Municipality Social Assistance Affairs director, an employee who served as an accounting officer in the same department, and another person who was responsible for the company’s cash desk.
Simultaneous searches and seizure operations were carried out at the suspects’ homes and workplaces, and all four were taken into custody, the prosecutor’s office said.
Etimesgut Municipality said in a separate written statement that the case was not the result of a politically motivated operation against the municipality, but rather stemmed from an earlier internal inspection and criminal complaint filed by municipal authorities.
The municipality said one of the employees named in the investigation had already been suspended as part of its own administrative inquiry. It added that employee S.K. had been reported to prosecutors on Sept. 11, 2025, by both the municipality and its company in the capacity of complainants.
Municipal officials said they were closely monitoring the judicial process and would continue to share details with the public in a transparent manner.
Legal troubles are mounting for Türkiye’s main opposition CHP as a fresh wave of bribery and corruption investigations has led to the detention of another mayor and dozens of municipal officials.
Last week, operations targeting CHP municipalities in Uşak and Marmaris also resulted in the detention of 24 people, including Özkan Yalım and a deputy mayor in Marmaris, according to authorities. The detentions mark the latest development in a series of probes focusing on opposition-led local governments.
At least a dozen CHP mayors have been detained or arrested since last year, with several more facing ongoing corruption and bribery investigations or trials. High-profile cases include Istanbul’s suspended mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, and Antalya’s ousted mayor, Muhittin Böcek, whose cases have drawn national attention following their arrests late last year and trials that began earlier this month.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
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