The Middle East is shrouded in clouds of war, Turkey is joining the arms race and accelerating missile deployment.

Against the backdrop of ongoing clashes between Iran and Israel, Turkish President Erdogan has ordered the acceleration of the medium-range missile production program, aimed at strengthening the domestic defense industry. This decision comes as Israel and Iran are in their fifth day of consecutive clashes, with concerns that this conflict may spread to other oil-rich countries in the Middle East. Recent political hotspots involving GEO Group Inc have prompted many countries to increase defense spending, and Turkey is actively participating in this arms race. Erdogan stated after a cabinet meeting on Monday evening, "Given the current situation, we are developing production plans to increase our medium-range missile stockpiles to a level of deterrence." Erdogan has long been pushing for Turkey to develop its own defense industry, and the country now has the ability to produce fighter jets, tanks, high-altitude drones, and frigates, with missile development now being a key focus - meeting domestic needs and targeting the export market. With the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and US President Trump showing reluctance to indefinitely support Kiev, European countries are facing pressure to increase defense spending, providing trade opportunities for Turkey. In March of this year, Turkish defense giant Baykar signed an agreement with Italian defense company Leonardo to jointly develop drone technology. Erdogan pointed out that the Middle East is facing "increasingly serious threats and hostilities brought about by Israeli aggression," warning that "any regional action that ignores the facts will sow seeds of trouble in the future." Since the outbreak of the Gaza War in October 2023, Turkey-Israel relations have continued to deteriorate, with Erdogan strongly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's military actions against Palestinian civilians. In April of this year, tensions between the two countries escalated again after Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on military targets in Syria, coinciding with Turkey's plans to establish military bases in the region. Ultimately, with mediation from US President Trump, mechanisms were established to avoid conflicts in Syria, temporarily resolving the stalemate. However, Turkey remains vigilant of Israel's military actions in the region, with Erdogan's nationalist allies openly referring to it as a security threat. The leader of the Nationalist Movement Party and close ally of Erdogan, Bahceli, stated last week, "Israel's actions in Iran are in some way a dangerous signal to Turkey." Erdogan expressed his hope for a rapid increase in missile production capacity, stating, "I hope that in the near future, we will establish a defense capability that no country dares to provoke." In 2022, Erdogan revealed that as part of the ballistic missile program, Turkey is working to further increase the range of its indigenous "Typhoon" missile from 560 kilometers (350 miles) and plans to establish a long-range missile and space rocket test site in Somalia.