U.S. warship intercepts Iranian ballistic missile heading toward Türkiye
A U.S. Navy warship intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran that was heading toward Türkiye, according to officials and media reports.
The missile was detected late Tuesday after being launched from Iran and traveling through the airspace of Iraq and Syria, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense.
Turkish officials said NATO air and missile defense assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean engaged and neutralized the projectile before it reached Turkish airspace.
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News that the interceptor was fired from the guided missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin, which is operating in the Mediterranean Sea. Journalist Michael Weiss reported that the missile was launched at about 11:40 p.m. EST and was intercepted by an SM-3 missile fired from the U.S. Navy ship.
Fragments that fell in the Dörtyol district of Hatay province were identified as belonging to the interceptor used to destroy the missile, according to Türkiye’s defense ministry. No casualties or injuries were reported.
At a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the United States was aware of the engagement but indicated the incident was not expected to trigger NATO’s collective defense clause.
“We’re aware of that particular engagement,” Hegseth said. “Although, no sense that it would trigger anything like Article 5.”
Turkish officials said the country remains fully capable of defending its territory and warned that it reserves the right to respond to any hostile act.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
