The US military base at Incirlik in Turkey, which houses tactical nuclear weapons, went on alert on June 19, 2025, for a suspected ballistic missile attack. The alert, which prompted an immediate mobilization of personnel, turned out to be false, Pentagon officials confirmed. The incident, which occurred amid tense international tensions, raised questions about the reliability of warning systems and security measures at strategic NATO sites.

The Incirlik air base in Turkey’s southern Adana province is a key hub for U.S. military presence in the region. According to Western think tanks, up to 50 tactical nuclear weapons, including B61 ​​bombs, are stored there, making the facility a high-priority target for potential threats. According to Pentagon sources, on the morning of June 19, an early warning system detected what was interpreted as a missile threat. Base personnel were put on high alert, and urgent security measures were launched at the facility.

A few hours later, the base command received a notification about the erroneous activation of the system. A representative of the US Department of Defense clarified that the incident was caused by a technical failure in the detection system, and there was no real threat. The Turkish authorities, promptly informed of the situation, confirmed that their own air defense systems did not record activity that could indicate a missile attack. A joint investigation into the causes of the failure has already been launched to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Incirlik incident has become a topic of discussion in the international media, especially in the context of current geopolitical tensions. According to Defense News, NATO’s early warning systems have been repeatedly tested in recent years due to the increase in drone activity and missile launches in the Middle East region. Experts note that false alarms, although rare, can undermine confidence in security systems and provoke unnecessary escalation. In 2024, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the number of incidents related to errors in warning systems increased by 15% compared to the previous decade, which is associated with the increasing sophistication of technology and the rise of cyber threats.