NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has defended recent United States airstrikes on Iran, calling them necessary. Speaking to reporters in Ankara ahead of a NATO summit, Rutte said that if Iran violated the ceasefire, a strong US response was essential. His remarks came after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that at least 80 strikes had been carried out on specific Iranian targets.

According to CENTCOM, the attacks targeted Iran’s air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar installations, and anti-ship missile capabilities. The US military said these actions were in retaliation for Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The exchange underscores escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, with NATO leadership publicly backing the US position just before a key alliance meeting in Turkey.