[1][2] Turkey yearned to become a member of NATO because it wanted a security guarantee against a potential invasion by the Soviet Union, which made several overtures towards control of the Straits of the Dardanelles.

[4] The Turkish President Ismet Inönu and the Speaker of the Parliament responded decisively, avowing Turkey's readiness to defend itself.

[4] In 1948, Turkey began indicating its desire for NATO membership,[5] and throughout 1948 and 1949 American officials responded negatively towards Turkish requests for inclusion.

[6] In May 1950, during Ismet Inönü's presidency, Turkey made its first formal accession bid, which was denied by the NATO member states.

[7] After the Under Secretary of State Dean Acheson coordinated with France and the United Kingdom in September 1950, the NATO command invited both Greece and Turkey to present their plans for an eventual defense cooperation.

[11] After further evaluations taken at the NATO headquarters and by officials of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the US Military, it was decided in May 1951 to offer Turkey full membership.

[18] Since 2012, the Kürecik radar station located about 500 km from Iran, is in service as part of the NATO missile defence system.

[23] After the Syrian Civil War erupted, Turkey was provided with NATO assistance consisting of a Patriot air defense system in December 2012.

[24] The US sent two batteries and 400 soldiers while Germany and the Netherlands pledged modern weaponry for the system, meant against potential missiles strikes from Syria.

[27] After terrorist attacks against the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001, NATO launched Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean Sea to monitor the maritime traffic.

[33] The North Atlantic Treaty Regarding the Status of Their Forces (SOFA) signed in 1952 and 1954 also granted NATO the right to build facilities in Turkey such as the Incirlik air base.

[37] The Turkish military operation was directed against the Peoples Defense Units (YPG) involved in the fight against the Islamic State (IS).

[39] Turkey wanted NATO officials to classify the People's Defense Units (YPG) as a terrorist organization in exchange for its approval for the plan.

[39] When Finland and Sweden decided to apply to join NATO in May 2022, Turkey was the only NATO member to oppose their membership, due to their concerns that the countries were harboring of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Democratic Union Party (Syria) (PYD), People's Defense Units (YPG) and of Gülen movement members that Turkey sees as terrorists.

[44] Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli suggested that a scenario in which Turkey would leave NATO should be considered an option.

[45] In late May 2022, opposition leader Kemal Kiliçdaroglu argued that if the accession row persisted, AKP and MHP would decide to close the Incirlik Airbase, the Republican People's Party (CHP) would also support it.

The sanctions targeted Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries and its top officials, freezing assets and imposing visa restrictions.

If you don't stay calm, if you try to buy things from the United States and other places (to arm) the islands, a country like Turkey ... has to do something."

Erdoğan's threats, which followed a series of anti-Israel comments made by him in the past, came during a speech praising Turkey's defense industry and amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.