North Korea fires rockets, as tensions with South Korea mount
North Korea fired more than 10 rounds of rockets into the Yellow Sea Thursday, just one day after South Korea held joint air drills with the US and Japan — in the latest sign of mounting tensions between the neighboring countries.
The missiles were shot from Pyongyang's upgraded 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher — believed to be capable of targeting South Korean population centers including the Seoul metropolitan area — which the hermit country unveiled last year.
'The projectiles, believed to be multiple launch rockets, flew tens of kilometers before falling into the Yellow Sea,'a South Korean military official told local media, adding South Korean and US intelligence are closely analyzing details.
3 North Korea has been launching rockets to flex its military muscle.
via REUTERS
On Wednesday, South Korea, the US and Japan held their first trilateral military air exercise of the Lee Jae Myung administration — the new leader elected earlier this month.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have increased in recent months, following North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin — supplying weapons and as many as 15,000 troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
South Korean officials are concerned that Pyongyang could receive economic aid in return and advanced military technology to further develop its weapons programs.
Kim has also continued to accelerate the development of his nuclear and missile program.
3 Kim Jong Un has been calling on his country to ramp up military production in recent months.
KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images
The reclusive leader has been visiting military industrial factories across the country, calling on them to ramp up production of shells in order to meet the demands of war in the 21st century.
North Korea also successfully built two 5,000-ton naval destroyers this year, with Kim calling the new battleship 'convincing proof of the rapid transformation of our Navy.'
3 The rockets were fired near Pyongyang, North Korea's capital.
AFP via Getty Images
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Trump makes the world a safer place — and shows America means exactly what it says
US planes bombed three Iranian nuclear sites Saturday, returning safely with President Donald Trump calling for an immediate peace now that, presumably, the work of destroying Tehran's nuke program is complete. The prez had warned that he'd be deciding 'within two weeks,' and as Iran made it clear Friday, there wasn't much point in waiting as its leaders began to attempt to give world leaders the runaround again. And that, as we noted Friday night, obliged Trump 'to pay even more heed to the risks of holding off on a decisive intervention.' President Trump ordered the bombings of 3 vital Iranian nuclear sites Saturday. Getty Images He plainly decided on a fast intervention, using US bunker-busters to take out the super hardened Fordow site with two other nuclear facilities. It was an action that as we have stated gives 'the best hope for the region to stabilize.' We'll see what comes next; Iran's noise about the United States taking action somehow triggering 'all-out war in the region' will hopefully prove to be nothing but characteristic bluster — but US forces in the Middle East will surely be on full alert for days, with bases worldwide on the watch for some sort of terror attack. Yet most fears of escalation seem ill-founded: Iran has proved unable to do much in the face of daily pounding by Israeli warplanes — a humiliation that all by itself posed a dire threat to the regime. It can't have been holding much back. The president tried to get this done peacefully, giving Tehran ample time to make a deal and clear warning of the consequences. Now, thanks to the bravery and professionalism of our armed forces, he has followed through on his warnings. The Israelis can stand down while the 'regime change' crowd heads back to its think tanks and the 'hundreds of thousands of Americans will die' kooks pretend they never predicted disaster. Moscow, Beijing and the rest of the world are on notice as Trump's clinical strikes reverse the damage of Biden's disastrous Afghanistan pull out. Trump doesn't chicken out — and when it comes to war, peace and America's national interests, he means exactly what he says.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Here are some of the US bases and assets Iran could target in retaliation for Trump strikes
The US has several bases and military assets in the Middle East that Iran could target in retaliation for the strikes President Trump ordered earlier today. President Trump steps off Marine One before boarding Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, on June 21, 2025. AFP via Getty Images Here are a few of the ones Iran may target: Al Udeid Air Base — located in Qatar, it's the largest US military base in the Middle East US Navy Fifth Fleet — its headquarters is in Bahrain and is a critical asset in the Persian Gulf Al Asad Air Base — a US base in Iraq that Iran targeted in 2020 after the killing of Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani There are several other key bases and assets in the region. Iran could hit US embassies in nearby countries such as Iraq, the United Arab Emirates or even Israel. Although not a US asset per se, Iran could also try to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical potential chokehold where about 25% of the world's oil consumption and roughly a third of the world's liquefied natural gas flows.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Trump takes heat from Dems and GOPers over decision to bomb Iran: ‘Another foreign war'
A handful of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle fumed at President Trump's decision to bomb top nuclear facilities in Iran and accused him of violating the Constitution. On Sunday, Trump announced that he had ordered strikes to target Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites. Trump noted that all planes successfully departed Iranian airspace and were 'safely on their way home.' 'Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war,' firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a top Trump ally, lamented. Advertisement Several lawmakers of both parties met President Trump with fuming responses to his decision to bomb nuclear facilities in Iran. REUTERS 'There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first. Israel is a nuclear-armed nation. This is not our fight.' Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who hasn't been shy about splitting with Trump in the past, simply declared: 'This is not Constitutional.' Advertisement Top Intel Committee Democrat Jim Himes (D-Conn.) similarly accused Trump of exceeding his presidential authorities with the strikes. 'According to the Constitution, we are both sworn to defend, my attention to this matter comes BEFORE bombs fall. Full stop,' Himes fumed on X. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) simply declared: 'This is not Constitutional.' in response to the bombings. Getty Images Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) also called it an 'unambiguous impeachable offense.' Advertisement 'This is not about the merits of Iran's nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress,' Casten said on X. 'I'm not saying we have the votes to impeach. I'm saying that you DO NOT do this without Congressional approval and if Johnson doesn't grow a spine and learn to be a real boy tomorrow we have a BFing problem that puts our very Republic at risk.'
