NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed today that the alliance would not invoke its collective defense clause, article 5, following the reported shootdown of an "Iranian missile" over Turkey. "No one is talking about article 5. The most important thing is for adversaries to see how strong and vigilant NATO is, even more so if possible from 28/2," Rutte stated.

His remarks came a day after Turkey announced that NATO air defenses intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile heading into its airspace. This incident marks the first time a NATO member, other than the US, has been directly drawn into the escalating Middle East conflict, raising concerns about wider regional involvement.

However, Iran's general staff of the armed forces on 5/3 denied launching any missiles towards Turkey, affirming Tehran's respect for the sovereignty of "this friendly nation."

The NATO secretary general also affirmed the alliance's support for the US strike campaign against Iran, stating that Tehran "is about to become a threat to Europe."

Rutte speaks at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on 12/2. Photo: AFP

NATO's article 5 stipulates that an attack against one member is considered an attack against the entire alliance, triggering a collective response.

The current escalation began on the morning of 28/2 when US and Israeli forces launched a strike campaign against Iran. These attacks targeted defense and intelligence facilities, as well as several senior officials and generals, including Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In retaliation, Iran launched its own campaign targeting Israeli territory and several US-manned bases across various Middle Eastern countries. More than 1,000 people in Iran and many others across the Middle East have died since the conflict erupted. The United Nations reported that in just the first two days of the war, 100,000 people were forced to flee Iran's capital, Tehran.

Pham Giang (According to Reuters)