Middle East Conflict: Alarm sounds at Turkish base in Mainzirlik, residents fear missile threat

Türkiye’s state news agency Anadolu Agency reported that sirens sounded early on Friday at Incirlik Air Base, a key NATO facility where U.S. troops are stationed.At around 3.25am local time (0025GMT), residents of Adana, about 10 kilometers away from the base, were awakened by an alarm that lasted about 5 minutes.

Videos circulating on social media showed thick smoke billowing from the sky, with some users sharing images of a glowing object that suggested it could be a missile heading toward the air force base, the Associated Press reported.A red alert was issued for the facility, and the sirens of fire trucks and security forces were heard throughout the city.The incident came just four days after NATO air defenses shot down a ballistic missile launched from Iran in Turkish airspace, the second such interception in 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 U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran that have triggered attacks across the Middle East. While Türkiye has largely survived, the threat to Incirlik has raised alarm, particularly because the base is believed to store U.S. B61 nuclear bombs.Washington also closed its consulate in Adana over security concerns and urged all U.S. citizens to leave southeastern Türkiye.In addition to Incirlik, U.S. troops are stationed at Kurecik Air Base in central Turkey, where a Patriot missile defense system was deployed on Tuesday as part of NATO’s precautionary measures.