LIVE: NATO Defenses Intercept Missile Heading Toward Turkey
Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic's Navy, said Guards Navy official Mohammad Akbarzadeh
Tehran: NATO defense systems have intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran as it headed toward Turkey’s airspace, the Turkish defense ministry said.
A ministry statement said the missile was detected after crossing the Iraqi and Syrian airspace and was intercepted by NATO units stationed in the eastern Mediterranean.
Debris from the missile fell into a district of Hatay province, near the border with Syria. There were no casualties.
“Every step taken to defend our territory and airspace will be taken resolutely and without hesitation,” the defense ministry said. “We remind all parties that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions against our country.”
What to know:
- The conflict in the Middle East has now entered its fifth day following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with other key figures in the country. In retaliation, Tehran has launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and Israeli assets across the region.
- Ayatollah Khamenei's son Mojtaba has been chosen as the successor to his father and will take over as Supreme leader.
- Responding to the development, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that any leader appointed by the Iranian regime to replace Ali Khamenei will be a "target for elimination," reported the Times of Israel.
- Israel expanded its air strikes in Lebanon on Wednesday, targeting the area around the presidential palace near Beirut and other areas south of the capital as well as strongholds of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, killing at least 11 people.
-Iranian state television on Wednesday afternoon said the mourning ceremony for Khamenei had been postponed and would be held later after intense strikes targeted Tehran.
Live Updates
- 4 March 2026 5:31 PM IST
NATO Defenses Intercept Missile Heading Toward Turkey
NATO defense systems have intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran as it headed toward Turkey’s airspace, the Turkish defense ministry said.
A ministry statement said the missile was detected after crossing the Iraqi and Syrian airspace and was intercepted by NATO units stationed in the eastern Mediterranean.
Debris from the missile fell into a district of Hatay province, near the border with Syria. There were no casualties.
“Every step taken to defend our territory and airspace will be taken resolutely and without hesitation,” the defense ministry said. “We remind all parties that we reserve the right to respond to any hostile actions against our country.”
- 4 March 2026 5:22 PM IST
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, said in a post on X it had detected no damage to facilities containing nuclear material in Iran since the U.S. and Israel launched their joint assault on the country on Saturday.
The IAEA added that it saw no radiological release risk at this time.
It gave the following details:
- Damage to two buildings is visible near Isfahan nuclear site.
- No additional impact is reported at Natanz nuclear site after previously reported damage at entrances.
- No impact at other nuclear sites, including Bushehr.
- 4 March 2026 5:13 PM IST
Sri Lanka recovers 'a few bodies' after Iran warship sinking
Sri Lanka's navy has recovered "a few bodies" of Iranian sailors on board a frigate that sank off the island's southern coast after what crew members reported as an explosion, a spokesman said Wednesday.
"We have found a few bodies from the area where the ship had gone down," local navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath told reporters in Colombo, adding that the search for others was continuing.
- 4 March 2026 5:06 PM IST
Mourning Ceremony for Khamenei Postponed
A ceremony for the slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been announced for later on Wednesday.
A new schedule will be announced later, state media said.
- 4 March 2026 3:47 PM IST
Syria closes its border crossing with Lebanon
Syrian Land and Sea Ports Authority said it was closing its border crossing with Lebanon after receiving a warning that Israel may target the crossing.
Arrivals remain open as long as Syrians are fleeing from Lebanon, according to the media official at the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing.
- 4 March 2026 3:45 PM IST
Israel sees decline in launches from Iran
Israel is seeing a decline in launches from Iran as the campaign enters its fifth day, military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said.
Defrin also said Israel is not surprised by any new weapons Iran may use and had prepared extensively for the confrontation.
He said Israel would continue to "hunt and destroy” Iran’s military capabilities.
- 4 March 2026 3:42 PM IST
32 rescued from sinking Iranian naval ship off Sri Lankan coast
A top Sri Lankan official says 32 people have been rescued from a sinking Iranian naval ship off Sri Lanka’s southern coast have been admitted to a hospital.
Dr. Anil Jasinghe, a top health ministry official, says one of them is in critical condition, seven are receiving emergency treatment and others are treated for minor injuries.
- 4 March 2026 3:41 PM IST
Saudi Arabia reports another attempted attack on Ras Tanura refinery
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said an attempted attack targeted its oil refinery at Ras Tanura.
The refinery previously was targeted by an Iranian attack this week.
- 4 March 2026 3:39 PM IST
Hezbollah says targeted the headquarters of Israel Aerospace Industries
Hezbollah said on Wednesday it had targeted the headquarters of Israel Aerospace Industries, in central Israel, overnight with a drone attack while also saying it launched a missile at a drone control base.
- 4 March 2026 3:39 PM IST
Falling shrapnel kills 11 year old girl in Kuwait
Kuwait's health ministry said on Wednesday that an 11-year-old girl was killed after being hit by falling shrapnel following waves of Iranian attacks across the Gulf.
The Gulf has borne the brunt of much of Tehran's response since the US and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran over the weekend with at least 13 people killed in the region in the fallout.
