There’s looming fear that Trump’s Operation Epic Fury is fast spinning into a broader regional war, even a possible WW3 scenario – though large powers like Russia and China are expected to remain on the sidelines.
Illustrating this potential, on Wednesday a ballistic missile launched from Iran and tracked across Iraqi and Syrian airspace before heading toward Turkish territory was shot down by NATO air defenses, according to Turkey’s Defense Ministry.
NATO Article 5 potential? Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth was quick to downplay the issue, saying in a fresh briefing: “On the matter with Turkey, I’ll have to get back to you on exactly what the intercept looked like,” before adding, “We’re aware of that particular engagement, although no sense that it would trigger anything like Article 5.”
In a sharply worded statement Wednesday, the Turkey’s Defense Ministry laid out, “A ballistic munition launched from Iran, which was detected passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace and heading towards Turkish airspace, was engaged in a timely manner by NATO air and missile defense assets stationed in the eastern Mediterranean and rendered inactive.”
No casualties have been reported in the highly alarming incident, though Ankara stressed it “reserves the right to respond” to any hostile act, and urged all sides to show restraint.
Turkey has reportedly summoned the Iranian ambassador, while Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan lodged a formal protest with FM Abbas Araghchi, warning that “any steps that could further widen the conflict must be avoided,” according to Reuters.
Naturally, NATO quickly lined up behind Ankara, with a command statement condemning Iran’s “targeting of Turkey” while declaring the alliance “stands firmly with all Allies, including Turkiye.”
“Our deterrence and defence posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defense,” the NATO statement said.
Hellbound and Down 