North Korea Launches 10 Ballistic Missiles Into Sea as Show of Force

On Friday, North Korea launched 10 ballistic missiles into the East Sea during US-South Korea military drills in a major show of force amid the war in the Middle East.

The missiles, launched from the Pyongyang suburb of Sunan, landed in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, without hitting any landmasses. The projectiles also landed outside of Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), therefore nullifying any sort of escalatory impact the strikes may have caused.

Nevertheless, the strikes – while they may appear random – are a strong show of power from North Korea as the war in the Middle East continues. Launching ten ballistic missiles at once is rare, proving that the nation is prepared to launch not just one or two, but large volleys of missiles if necessary.

Furthermore, the missiles were launched during joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, which take place each spring to strengthen ties and bolster cohesion between the two sides.

The exercises, known as the Freedom Shield, are viewed by North Korea as "invasion rehearsals," but the US and South Korea have maintained that they are purely defense-centric and are part of annual preparations in case of a North Korean attack.

Just a day later, the autocratic nation also tested a nuclear-capable rocket launcher that local officials claim can easily launch across the border into South Korea with 100% accuracy.

These tests, coupled with the aforementioned strikes and a slew of recent missile tests involving the North Korean Navy, have renewed fears of a future North Korean attack on South Korea. Tensions have remained relatively stable over the last few months, but North Korea has expressed support for Iran's new leader Mojtaba Khamenei and his continuation of his father's regime.

South Korea has also confirmed that the US is beginning to move military firepower away from the East Asian nation to assist efforts against Iran. This could open up the possibility of a hole in South Korean defense systems, making them more vulnerable to a North Korean offensive.

However, the world's focus remains on the US and Israel's joint war against Iran in the Middle East, which shows no signs of slowing down. Israel has continued to bombard Lebanon with strikes, and rumors are now circulating that a ground offensive may be on the cards. Meanwhile, the US continues to strike military targets in Iran, and Iran has responded by sending retaliation missiles all over the Gulf.

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Image credit to Reuters