• Ri Chun Hee, one of the most recognizable faces in North Korea, has resurfaced to report on Kim Jong Un's meeting with President Donald Trump.
• Trump reportedly joked that her trademark enthusiasm and lavishing of praise towards the country's leadership would be great for US television.
• Ri's affinity for bright-pink traditional dress has earned her the affectionate title of "Pink Lady."
• Since retiring, Ri still announces major national events in her signature enthusiastic broadcasting style.

Ri Chun Hee, the lively news reader for North Korea's state-run TV channel KCTV, resurfaced this week to report on the meeting between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.

Ri, who was reportedly last seen on television announcing news from Kim's meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April, said the Singapore summit "pioneered a new history" between North Korea and the US. After watching one of her broadcasts this week, Trump is said to have commented on how positively she spoke on Kim, and even joked that she should get a job on US cable news.

The senior broadcaster has become one of most recognizable faces of North Korea and has garnered attention internationally for her passionate reporting on North Korea's frequent missile launches. The media veteran retired in 2012, but still delivers some of the country's most important news.

She was once a protege of Kim Il Sung

North Korea's prominent newsreader is believed to have been born in 1943 in Tongchong, what is now southeastern North Korea. She went on to study performance art at the Pyongyang University of Theatre and Film before being recruited by state-run KCTV in 1971. 

By 1974, Ri was promoted to chief news broadcaster at KCTV, becoming the trusted anchor to deliver news of the country's most historic moments. She became a permanent fixture on KCTV in the 1980s.

Her affinity for a bright-pink traditional Korean dress, known in North Korea as a "Choson-ot," has earned her the affectionate title of "Pink Lady." The 74-year-old grandmother is considered a national hero and has gained recognition in North Korea for her unique and passionate news-reading style.

North Korean state-run magazine Chosun Monthly, translated by Reuters, said Ri had become a protege of Kim Il Sung, the country's founder, who reportedly encouraged her "with warm love and faith." 

Referred to as the "Barbara Walters of North Korea" by the New York Times, Ri officially retired in 2012, though she was brought back on-air to deliver news of North Korea's 2016 testing of a hydrogen bomb. 

Chosun said Ri now lives in relative luxury in Pyongyang with her husband, children and grandchildren.

Her passionate news delivery style is her claim to fame

Ri's thunderous broadcasts speak for the regime of North Korea, where Kim is rarely known to address citizens directly. 

She has earned her celebrity status in North Korea for her signature enthusiastic broadcasting style. 

State media has praised her "rusty voice" describing it as "powerful and appealing."

"As these days passed, her voice grew to have an appeal so that whenever she would speak on the news, viewers were touched," Chosun Monthly said. “When Ri announced reports and statements, enemies would tremble in fear,” it added.

Ri often changes her speech depending on the subject matter; when praising North Korea's leader, her tone is often joyful and animated, while her tone becomes angry, almost menacing when she discusses the West.

“There is no one else who has that power in her voice as she does. It’s just right for talking about nuclear weapons or missiles,” Ahn Chan-il, a high-ranking North Korean defector who now lives in South Korea, told Reuters.

Rarely does Ri break form, though her most emotional broadcasts came after the deaths of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung and later, his son and successor Kim Jong Il, when she theatrically broke down in tears.

SEE ALSO: Trump jokes that a North Korean TV anchor who heaps praise on Kim Jong Un should work on cable news in the US

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As Season 4 approaches its conclusion in "Fortnite: Battle Royale," fans have started to speculate whether a large in-game event, similar to last season's meteor shower, will mark the end of an era. 

Clues pointing toward another massive event have already started to pop up around the island and within the actual "Fortnite" game code, which hardcore fans like to dig through every time the developers roll out a new update. 

So far, all signs are pointing at a huge missile, embedded into the side of the mountain just northeast of Snobby Shores, which many fans theorize could completely change a large section of the map. 

Here's what we know about the mysterious missile warnings in "Fortnite":

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The missile first appeared in the side of a mountain at the start of Season 4. It's the centerpiece of a lair owned by a mysterious supervillain.

The lair is located just northwest of Snobby Shores, on the far left side of the map. It sits on the opposite side of the island from the unnamed superhero lair just south of Lonely Lodge. 

If you drop in to the top of the mountain, and come down the western side, this is what you'll see. The missile juts from a hole in the mountain — this is also an entry point for the villain's lair.

At a control panel towards the base of the missile, a hologram has recently appeared, which has led players to believe that a launch could be imminent.

This theory is evidenced by a few images that have been broadcast on many of the TVs on the island. This one depicts an ominous-looking face ...

• Syrian state news agency SANA said two Israeli missiles hit in the vicinity of Damascus International Airport early Tuesday. 
• Rights groups said the strike targeted "weapons depots and warehouses belonging to non-Syrian militias loyal to the Syrian regime."
• Israel would not comment on the report, as is its policy.

CAIRO (Reuters) - Syrian state news agency SANA said two Israeli missiles hit in the vicinity of Damascus International Airport in the early hours of Tuesday morning, without giving further details.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian air defense systems failed to intercept the missiles.

The Britain-based war monitor said an explosion heard at 1 a.m. near the airport was caused by missiles fired by Israeli planes from the direction of Golan Heights.

"It targeted weapons depots and warehouses belonging to non-Syrian militias loyal to the (Syrian) regime," the Observatory said, adding it had no information about casualties or damage.

Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and backs a number of militias, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, fighting in support of Assad.

Israel, concerned that Iran's growing presence in Syria is a threat to its safety, has struck dozens of Iranian and Iran-backed positions in Syria over the course of the seven-year conflict.

Asked about the report, an Israeli military spokesman said: "We do not comment on foreign reports."

(Reporting by Nayera Abdullah in Cairo and Lisa Barrington in Beirut; Additional reporting by Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem; editing by Diane Craft, Stephen Coates and Michael Perry)

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• A missile fired by German navy frigate Sachsen earlier this month failed to exit the tube, scorching the deck.
• Two crew members were injured, and the ship has returned to homeport.
• The German military has had a number of issues in recent years, including equipment shortages and failures.

A missile malfunction aboard German navy frigate FGS Sachsen on June 21 scorched the ship's deck and injured two sailors.

The Sachsen, an air-defense frigate, was sailing with sub-hunting frigate Lubeck in a test and practice area near the Arctic Circle in Norwegian waters, according to the German navy.

The Sachsen attempted to fire a Standard Missile 2, or SM-2, from the vertical launch system located in front of the ship's bridge. The missile did not make it out of the launcher, however, and its rocket burned down while still on board the ship, damaging the deck and injuring two crew members.

"We were standing in front of a glistening and glowing hot wall of fire," the ship's captain, Thomas Hacken, said in a German navy release.

Sachsen class frigates are outfitted with 32 Mark 41 vertical launch tubes built into the forward section of the ship. Each SM-2 is about 15 feet long and weighs over 1,500 pounds.

It was not immediately clear why the missile malfunctioned; it had been checked and appeared in "perfect condition," the German navy said. Another of the same type of missile had been successfully launched beforehand.

While the ship's deck and bridge were damaged, the effects were likely limited by the design of the Mark 41 launcher, which is armored, according to Popular Mechanics.

The two ships sailed into the Norwegian port of Harstad on June 22 before returning to their homeport in the German city of Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea.

"We have to practice realistically, so that we are ready for action in case of emergency, also for the national and alliance defense," Vice Adm. Andreas Krause, navy inspector, said in the release. Despite the risks, Krause said, "our crews are highly motivated and ready to do their best."

Germany's military has hit a number of setbacks in recent years, like equipment shortages and failures. Dwindling military expertise and a lack of strategic direction for the armed forces have contributed to these problems.

The navy has been no exception. The first Baden-Württemberg frigate, a program thought up in 2005, was delivered in 2016, but the navy has refused to commission it, largely because the centerpiece computer system didn't pass necessary tests.

At the end of 2017, it was reported that all six of the German navy's submarines were out of action— four because they were being serviced in shipyards with the other two waiting for berths.

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• Two rockets from Syria landed in Israel's Sea of Galilee on Wednesday in what Israel's army believes was spillover from conflict in the neighboring country.
• The rockets were discovered by authorities Wednesday evening after local residents reported seeing an object fall into the water near the popular Gofra Beach, some 18 1/2 miles from Syria's border.
• The Israel Defense Forces retaliated by launching airstrikes at the launch site.

Two rockets from Syria landed in Israel's Sea of Galilee on Wednesday in what the army believes was spillover from conflict in the neighboring country.

Local authorities said two projectiles landed inside Israel's Sea of Galilee, which is about 30 kilometers, or 18 1/2 miles, from Syria's border.

The rockets were discovered Wednesday evening after local residents reported seeing an object fall into the water near the popular Gofra Beach, located on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Israel's Iron Dome defense system failed to intercept the BM-21 rockets. No injuries were reported.

The Israel Defense Forces said the projectiles appeared to have been errant fire from the neighboring conflict in Syria.

Several hours later, the IDF said it retaliated by launching airstrikes at the rocket launcher where the projectiles had emanated from. The IDF also targeted the surrounding area with artillery fire.

According to the Haaretz newspaper, initial investigations suggest that the Islamic State terrorist group was behind the rocket fire, though it was most likely intended for Syrian forces rather than Israel.

The Sea of Galilee is a popular camping destination for Israeli vacationers, particularly around the summer months, when tourism in the country peaks.

The incident comes just 24 hours after Israel shot down a Syrian fighter jet that the IDF says strayed more than a mile into Israeli airspace. The plane crashed in Syria near the country's border with Israel.

And on Monday, Israel's David's Sling missile-defense system was fired for the first time in battle at two Syrian surface-to-surface missiles that were headed toward Israel's north.

According to Haaretz, each David's Sling interceptor missile costs about $1 million.

Over the past few weeks, sirens have sounded across Israel, and rockets fired from Syria and elsewhere outside Israel have activated its missile defenses.

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• A Spanish jet on a Baltic air-policing mission accidentally fired an air-to-air missile over Estonia on Tuesday.
• The missile has a self-destruct mode, but it's not known if it was activated.
• Estonian authorities are currently searching for the missile, and Spanish and Estonian officials are investigating the incident.

A Spanish air force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet accidentally fired an air-to-air missile during an a routine training exercise over southeast Estonia on Tuesday afternoon, and authorities have not been able to locate the missile or what is left of it.

The Spanish jet fired the missile — an advanced medium-range air-to-air missile, or AMRAAM, made by US defense firm Raytheon — a little before 4 p.m. local time over the village of Pangodi, as it returned from an exercise with another Spanish jet as well as two French Mirage 2000 jets.

The exercise was carried out in an area reserved for such activity about 60 miles from the Russian border. All of the planes are based in Siauliai in northern Lithuania, and the jet that launched the missile was able to return to the base.

The missile's last location was about 25 miles north of the Estonian city of Tartu. It was reportedly fired northward, but the trajectory and its final location are not known. The 12-foot-long missile has a range of about 60 miles and carries a roughly 50-pound high-explosive warhead.

The missile has a built-in self-destruct mode for such occasions, but it's not certain that it was activated, and the weapon may have landed on the ground.

The Estonian Defense Ministry has launched a search for the missile using helicopters, and emergency services in the area have asked residents who happen upon the missile or parts of it not to approach it.

Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas said on Facebook that there were "thank God no human casualties," and called the incident "extremely regrettable."

"I am sure that the Estonian defence forces will, in cooperation with our allies, identify all the circumstances of the case and make every effort to make sure that nothing like this happens again," he added.

Estonia's defense minister also ordered the suspension of all aerial military exercises in the country's air space until the incident was resolved.

The Spanish Defense Ministry also opened an investigation.

"A Spanish Eurofighter based in Lithuania accidentally fired a missile without causing any harm,"the ministry said in a statement. "The air-to-air missile has not hit any aircraft. The defence ministry has opened an investigation to clarify the exact cause of the incident."

NATO's Baltic air-policing missions were set up in 2004, after Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania the alliance, to assist the new members with air defense and deter Russian aerial incursions in the area. Spanish jets have done five of the three-month air-policing tours, leading them in 2006 and 2016 and taking part in 2015 and 2017.

The current Spanish deployment is composed of 135 personnel and Eurofighters jets. It began on May 1 and will conclude on August 31.

Jets from NATO countries deployed on air-policing missions have had regular encounters with Russian jets over the Baltics, though there were no reports of Russian aircraft in the area when the missile was fired on Tuesday.

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HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia's defense minister says he has ordered a halt to NATO's air exercises in Estonia pending an investigation after a missile was accidentally fired over the Baltic country's airspace by a Spanish fighter jet on exercises this week.

Minister Juri Luik said Thursday the air-to-air missile that was erroneously launched Tuesday over southern Estonia has not been found but could have crashed in a remote nature reserve in the Jogeva region or triggered its built-in self-destruct and exploded in midair.

The exercise was carried out in an area reserved for such activity about 60 miles from the Russian border. All of the planes are based in Siauliai in northern Lithuania, and the jet that launched the missile was able to return to the base.

The Eurofighter Typhoon of the Spanish Air Force was part of NATO's Baltic air-policing mission and carried AMRAAM-type missiles containing up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of explosives.

Luik reiterated Estonia's trust in NATO's Baltic air mission, which started in 2004 as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined the military alliance.

SEE ALSO: A Spanish fighter jet accidentally fired a missile near the border with Russia — and they still can't find it

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• JFK once had a missile pointed at him by military engineers as a practical joke during a visit to the China Lake missile range in the Mojave Desert.
• China lake is a facility owned by the US Navy that manufactures and tests armaments. 
• Growing up, Karen Piper's entire immediate family had jobs at the China lake facility — the following is her account of President Kennedy's visit.
  

The following is an excerpt from "A Girl's Guide To Missiles" by Karen Piper":

By the time we arrived at China Lake, soldiers were coming home with something called "post-Vietnam syndrome." To me, President Kennedy represents a different path we could have taken, a path that would not have ended in defeat. People loved him in China Lake when I lived there. He was the only president ever to have visited the base.

In the armaments museum, you can still watch a video about his visit or skim through photographs and news stories about that day — June 7, 1963. This was eight years before we moved to the base, but his memory still lingered. There, you can watch him land on Air Force One at the Area E airstrip. As his plane pulls to a stop, white- jumpsuited men with white hoods, looking like a biohazard team, push a stairway up to him. They look as if they'd just run over from the chemical lab to help Kennedy out of his plane.

Then, in dazzling contrast to the white of the plane, the staircase, and the jumpsuited men, Kennedy steps out in a black suit and black tie with a white handkerchief in his pocket, looking as brilliant as his smile.

Bleachers await him, full of women in pearls and pith helmets next to men in suits, all facing an empty desert that will soon be full of exploding weapons. At a podium in front, a man says into a microphone, "The events to follow illustrate weapons in various stages of development and tests. Like parents bracing themselves for the possible embarrassment of a child's first recital, we continue."

Then the weapons begin to fly in all their Technicolor glory. Those fifteen-year-old chopped-down sycamore trees had earlier been propped back up as a mock Vietnamese forest, and when a Helicopter Trap Weapon is dropped on them, they lie down like rays around a sun. A helicopter lands in the middle. People cheer. Then Mk 81 bombs create little mushroom clouds that race across the desert floor. Cluster bombs spew shrapnel, breaking red balloons tied to the earth that are meant to represent soldiers. Napalm, also designed at China Lake, lights up the desert in a fireball. It is a symphony of fire timed beautifully to music. How could he not be impressed? Even William Porter, our friend and church deacon, got to shake Kennedy's hand. He had designed the Shrike missile, named for a bird that impales its victims and hangs their bodies on barbed-wire fences.

Finally, a Walleye missile, which is TV camera guided, is aimed straight for the president. It is the grand finale. The camera in the nose scans the terrain, looking for a target match, in this case President Kennedy. On a TV screen mounted by his chair, the President is supposed to see himself on TV. See himself as a target. Then the missile is supposed to veer away from him, right on schedule.

It might sound shocking to aim a missile at the president's head, but China Lakers were like the Merry Pranksters of weapons. They liked those kinds of jokes and tricks. For instance, a favorite gag was to hand a visiting dignitary or defense contractor a cigarette before taking him into a room to see the Sidewinder. The Sidewinder nose would be propped on a stand with the rotating glass tracker at the tip pointed into the center of the room. Since the missile is drawn to heat like a snake, it would start tracking the visitor when he walked in. Sometimes engineers would paint the missile nose like an eyeball, which would follow the visitor around the room. The visitor may have nearly had a heart attack, but everyone else had a good laugh. So it made sense they would point a missile at President Kennedy too.

But Kennedy did not jump, or laugh, as he was supposed to. When he was directed to look at the TV screen by his chair to see the Walleye missile photographing him, locking in on him, he merely looked confused. Reportedly, he simply said, "I can't say I recognized myself. I don't quite understand the joke."

Soon after the show ended, rumors began to fly that Kennedy looked worn out and had a headache. One person said he "looked like he was tired, wished he didn't have to do this, and wanted a good beer or a shot of whiskey." He asked if he could lie down for a while, so the navy rounded up all the neighborhood dogs to keep them from barking while he slept.

Finally, Kennedy got up and ended his visit with a one-minute speech in which he said it was nice to see all the healthy-looking children in California. He always liked the children. Then he said, "I cannot think of a prouder occupation when asked what our occupation may be than to say, 'I serve the United States of America.' " This is the part that everyone quotes, but it is not the most important part.

Kennedy was driven away down Blandy Avenue, named after the man in charge of the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests. Admiral Blandy once defended his actions amid antinuclear protests by saying, "I am not an atomic playboy, exploding these bombs to satisfy my personal whim." Kennedy was a playboy, though he denied it too. Women could tell, even in China Lake. They threw themselves at his car as he drove away, trying to stop him from leaving.

Adapted from A GIRL'S GUIDE TO MISSILES by Karen Piper, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2018 by Karen Piper.

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• Yemen’s Houthi rebel group said on Monday it was halting drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their Yemeni allies, responding to a demand from the United Nations.
• The move from the Houthis came after the Saudi-led coalition ordered a halt in its offensive against Yemen’s main port city Hodeidah, which has become a focal point in the bloody war.
• "(The decision) came to support the UN envoy, to show good faith and support the peace efforts," the group said in a statement. 
• The group added it was ready for a broader ceasefire if "the Saudi-led coalition wants peace."

DUBAI (Reuters) - Yemen’s Houthi movement said on Monday it was halting drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their Yemeni allies, responding to a demand from the United Nations.

International pressure has mounted on Yemen’s warring parties to end the war that has killed more than 10,000 people and pushed the country to the verge of starvation.

The move from the Houthi group came after the Saudi-led coalition ordered a halt in its offensive against Yemen’s main port city Hodeidah, which has become the focus of the war.

“After our contacts with the U.N. envoy and his request to stop drone and missile strikes ... We announce our initiative ... to halt missile and drone strikes on the countries of aggression,” Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Houthis’ Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said in a statement.

U.N. special envoy Martin Griffiths is trying to salvage peace talks after a round in September collapsed when the Houthis did not show up. He hopes to convene talks before the end of the year in Sweden to agree on a framework for peace under a transitional government.

READ MORE: Who's fighting who in Yemen, where conflict and political rivalry have engulfed the country for nearly a century

Yemen’s parties have given “firm assurances” they are committed to attending peace talks to be convened shortly, Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council on Friday, and pledged to escort the Houthi delegation from Sanaa if needed.

The Iranian-aligned group which has been battling the Saudi-backed government for nearly four years added it was ready for a broader ceasefire if “the Saudi-led coalition wants peace.”

“(The decision) came to support the U.N. envoy, to show good faith and support the peace efforts,” the statement said.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE both have said they support U.N.-led peace talks.

The Houthis say their missile attacks on Saudi Arabia are in retaliation for air raids on Yemen by the Western-backed coalition, which entered Yemen’s war in 2015 to try to restore the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

The coalition has carried out thousands of air strikes in the impoverished country that have hit schools, markets and hospitals, killing hundreds of people - though it says it does not target civilians.

The Houthis last July unilaterally halted attacks in the Red Sea to support peace efforts, after Saudi Arabia suspended temporarily oil exports through a strategic Red Sea channel following attacks on crude tankers.

Key Western allies including the United States have been urgently calling for a ceasefire ahead of the renewed U.N. efforts.

Western countries have provided arms and intelligence to the Arab states in the alliance, but have shown increasing reservations about the conflict since the murder of U.S.-based Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul early last month.

SEE ALSO: Who's fighting who in Yemen, where conflict and political rivalry have engulfed the country for nearly a century

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• One of 20 undeclared ballistic missile operating bases in North Korea serves as a missile headquarters, according to a new report. 
• The Center for Strategic and International Studies report said the Sino-ri complex contributes to developing ballistic missiles capable of reaching South Korea, Japan, and even the US territory of Guam.
• The report comes three days after US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he "looks forward" to another summit to discuss denuclearization with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in late February.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of 20 undeclared ballistic missile operating bases in North Korea serves as a missile headquarters, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published on Monday.

"The Sino-ri missile operating base and the Nodong missiles deployed at this location fit into North Korea's presumed nuclear military strategy by providing an operational-level nuclear or conventional first strike capability," the report said.

The discovery of an undeclared missile headquarters comes three days after US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he "looks forward" to another summit to discuss denuclearization with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in late February. 

Read more: The White House has reportedly picked Vietnam for the next Trump-Kim summit

CSIS, which last reported on the 20 undeclared bases in November, said the Sino-ri base has never been declared by North Korea and as a result "does not appear to be the subject of denuclearization negotiations."

The report noted that missile operating bases would presumably be subject to declaration, verification, and dismantlement in any denuclearization deal.

"The North Koreans are not going to negotiate over things they don't disclose," said Victor Cha, one of the authors of the report. "It looks like they're playing a game. They're still going to have all this operational capability," even if they destroy their disclosed nuclear facilities.

Located 132 miles (212 kilometers) north of the demilitarized zone, the Sino-ri complex is a seven-square-mile (18-square-km) base that plays a key role in developing ballistic missiles capable of reaching South Korea, Japan, and even the U.S. territory of Guam in the Western Pacific, the report said.

It houses a regiment-sized unit equipped with Nodong-1 medium-range ballistic missiles, the report added.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Satellite images of the base from Dec. 27, 2018 show an entrance to an underground bunker, reinforced shelters and a headquarters, the report said.

(Reporting by Katanga Johnson; Editing by Chris Sanders and Sandra Maler)

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• The Missile Defense Agency is deeming the first salvo test of its homeland missile defense system against an intercontinental ballistic missile threat a success.
• The ICBM target was launched from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, which is over 4,000 miles away from the GBI interceptors buried in silos in the ground at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
• Both 2010 and 2013 saw interceptor failures.

WASHINGTON — The Missile Defense Agency is deeming the first salvo test — conducted today — of its homeland missile defense system against an intercontinental ballistic missile threat a success, according an agency statement.

The MDA last tested the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System's (GMD) Ground-Based Interceptors (GBI) in a full-up test against an ICBM target in May 2017.

At the time, the MDA's director said the agency was next shooting to conduct a more complex salvo test involving two GBIs against an ICBM because firing off two GBIs against one target is more operationally realistic and important in proving out the effectiveness of the overall system.
In the test, the lead GBI destroyed the ICBM's reentry vehicle "as it was designed to do," according to the agency's statement.

The trailing GBI "then looked at the resulting debris and remaining objects, and, not finding any other reentry vehicles, selected the next ‘most lethal object' it could identify, and struck that, precisely as it was designed to do," the statement adds.

The ICBM target was launched from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, which is over 4,000 miles away from the GBI interceptors buried in silos in the ground at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
"This was the first GBI salvo intercept of a complex, threat-representative ICBM target, and it was a critical milestone," MDA Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves said in the statement.

"The system worked exactly as it was designed to do, and the results of this test provide evidence of the practicable use of the salvo doctrine within missile defense," he said. "The Ground-based Midcourse Defense system is vitally important to the defense of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat."

Other systems involved in the test included space, ground and sea-based Ballistic Missile Defense System sensors that provided tracking acquisition and tracking data to the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communication (C2BMC) system, which is the brains of the global missile defense framework.

The GBI's Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicles, which had issues in the past, were successful in the test.

Trouble with the interceptor's EKV, designed to destroy targets in high-speed collisions after separating from a booster rocket, plagued the program for years. Both 2010 and 2013 saw interceptor failures. During the July 2013 test, the kill vehicle failed to separate from the booster rocket.

The tide turned in June 2014 when the agency saw a successful intercept test bringing its success record to nine in 17 tests.

And the May 2017 test further signaled the problems with the EKV was a thing of the past. The salvo test adds more confidence in the performance of the EKV.

The MDA is funding a redesigned kill vehicle and is also developing a multi-object kill vehicle that can take out multiple threat targets.

The final GBI — of the first 44 — for the GMD system, which was designed to defend the homeland against possible ICBM threats from North Korea and Iran, was placed at Fort Greely, Alaska, in November 2017.

But the MDA is ramping up the number of GBIs to 64 in silos at two missile fields in Fort Greely after receiving special funding to do so in fiscal year 2019.

The MDA is requesting $1.2 billion in FY20 to continue the expansion of the GMD system and will equip 20 GBIs with its new RKV.

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• North Korea has reportedly launched multiple short-range projectiles, according to the South Korean military.
• While initial reports indicated North Korea fired off a salvo of missiles, it is now unclear exactly what the North may have launched.
• This type of behavior is possibly a sign that Pyongyang's patience with Washington is running out after round after round of failed negotiations.
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The South Korean military is reporting that North Korea launched several weapons into the sea, perhaps a sign that North Korea's patience with Washington is growing thin.

North Korea launched a barrage of unidentified short-range projectiles early Saturday morning local time, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a press release, according to the semi-official Yonhap News Agency. The weapons, which were initially identified as missiles, reportedly flew out to ranges of roughly 70 to 200 kilometers (43 to 124 miles).

At this time, it is unclear what North Korea has launched. The mysterious projectiles were fired from the east coast town of Wonsan.

North Korea's last missile test was conducted in November 2017, when the country launched a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile — the Hwasong-15.

As an apparent good-faith gesture to facilitate bilateral dialogue, Pyongyang proposed a self-imposed long-range missile and nuclear testing moratorium while in talks with the US. Round after round of failed negotiations, which included two leadership summits attended by President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un, have left both sides feeling frustrated.

Read more:North Korea didn't fire a ballistic missile — here's what US intelligence believes it actually tested

In November 2018, after an abrupt cancellation of a meeting between the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart, the North tested a so-called "ultramodern tactical weapon," apparently an artillery piece.

Last month, North Korea tested a "new tactical guided weapon," reportedly components for a new anti-tank weapon.

A missile launch, while potentially intended to signal a desire for movement on bilateral issues, would not only undermine the president's claims of progress with North Korea, but it would also risk bringing Pyongyang and Washington back to the exchanges of heated rhetoric and shows of force that had many wondering if nuclear war was just over the horizon in 2017.

The latest weapons launch comes on the heels of a meeting between Kim and the Russian President Vladimir Putin, the specific details of which remain murky.

Trump was reportedly "fully briefed" on North Korea's actions by White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, who has been decidedly pessimistic in his view of negotiations with Pyongyang. Bolton has, in the past, argued in favor of using military force.

This story has been updated to reflect the latest information from the South Korean military.

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• A satellite image captured by Planet Labs, a research company in San Francisco, reveals striking evidence of North Korea's latest missile launch.
• North Korea launched several projectiles on Saturday in its first confirmed missile test since November 2017.
• The image, one of many taken by Planet Labs' satellites orbiting the Earth, appears to show the exact moment and location of the launch.
• Will Marshall, the cofounder and CEO of Planet Labs, posted the image online on Sunday, saying it was a "one in a million" shot.

A satellite image captured by Planet Labs, a research company in San Francisco, reveals striking evidence of North Korea's latest missile launch.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the launch of several rockets and missiles in an exercise on Saturday, state media reported, in the country's first confirmed missile test since November 2017. State media said the purpose of the launch was to inspect the readiness of the country's defense units and weapons.

The image, one of many taken by Planet Labs' satellites orbiting the Earth, appears to show the exact moment and location of the launch.

Will Marshall, the cofounder and CEO of Planet Labs, posted the image online on Sunday, saying it was a "one in a million" shot.

"North Korean missile trail from space! Damn improbable; but if we take >million images/day we'll get one in a million shots!" he tweeted.

Data on the image says it was taken on Saturday at 10:54 a.m. Korea Standard Time. It shows a trail of smoke emerging from the launch point and extending over the sea.

Space.com said the images were taken using one of Planet Labs' more than 100 Dove cubesats, tiny satellites "smaller than a loaf of bread" that can take images with a resolution of 10 to 16.5 feet.

Planet Labs says its Dove satellites"make up the world's largest constellation of Earth-imaging satellites" and take photos of the Earth daily, adding that it launches new ones into orbit every few months.

North Korea's latest launch featured several rocket launchers and an unidentified short-range ballistic missile, observers said.

Tensions between Kim and US President Donald Trump flared in 2017 over North Korea's provocative weapons testing. Trump sparred with the North Korean leader for months on Twitter, calling him "Little Rocket Man" and saying his "Nuclear Button" was "bigger & more powerful."

Read more:TRUMP TO NORTH KOREA: My 'nuclear button' is bigger than yours

In March 2018, Kim agreed to refrain from missile testing as a show of good faith before a historic first meeting with the president that June. The two met again in February this year, though it ended early as both sides were unable to reach an agreement; the US is seeking to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, while North Korea wants the lifting of sanctions in exchange.

Trump responded to North Korea's latest missile test with restraint on Saturday, emphasizing in a tweet that he remained hopeful that Kim will dismantle his nuclear arsenal.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday told ABC's "This Week" that the weapons North Korea tested on Saturday were "relatively short range" and did not cross international boundaries.

SEE ALSO: Kim Jong Un launched a barrage of rockets and missiles in an unexpected show of force

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• North Korea on Monday slammed US national security adviser John Bolton as a "war monger" and "human defect."
• It followed Bolton saying that North Korea's recent missile test violated United Nations resolutions. 
• North Korea's state media published a scathing rebuke of Bolton, calling him a "human defect" who "deserves an earlier vanishing."
• President Donald Trump on Saturday said he — unlike Bolton — wasn't "disturbed" by the recent missile launches, and trusts Kim Jong Un to handle the situation.

North Korea on Monday slammed US national security adviser John Bolton as a "war monger" and "human defect," after Bolton said North Korea's recent missile test violated United Nations resolutions. 

Bolton prompted North Korea's anger on Saturday while speaking to reporters in Tokyo ahead of Trump's four-day state visit.

On the topic of North Korea, Bolton said there was "no doubt" that its short-range ballistic missile testing earlier this month violated resolutions by the United Nations Security Council. 

"The UN resolution prohibits the launch of any ballistic missiles,"he told reporters. He said the US would not demure from its position on sanctions, outlined at the most recent summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in Hanoi.

He also encouraged Kim to return to the negotiating table. 

"Trump has held the door open for Kim, the next step is for Kim to walk through it," he said.

In contrast, President Trump said that he wasn't "disturbed" by the recent missile launches, adding that he still has confidence in Kim to "keep his promise."

"North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me," Trump said in a tweet on Saturday, downplaying the launches. "Some of my people" appears to be a reference to Bolton.

North Korea did not take well to Bolton's comments, and on Monday the country's state news agency published a scathing rebuke. 

Read more:Trump touts 'good respect' for North Korea despite renewed missile tests and Abe disagreement

"Bolton, [the] US National Security Adviser has taken the issue over the regular military drill of our army, claiming that it is a violation of the 'resolutions' of the United Nations Security Council," an unnamed spokesperson for the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "His claim is indeed much more than ignorant."

The statement continued, claiming that UN Security Council resolutions are "illegal" and North Korea does not recognize them. 

"Our military drill neither targeted anyone nor endangered the surrounding countries," it said. 

"It is not a mere coincidence that criticisms are now being heard in the US that Bolton is a war monger whispering war to the President," it added.

"After all, it will be fit to call Bolton not a security adviser striving for security but a security-destroying adviser who is wrecking peace and security."

"It is not at all strange that perverse words always come out from the mouth of a structurally defective guy, and such a human defect deserves an earlier vanishing." 

While visiting Japan this weekend, Trump touted the "great respect" between the US and North Korea, and told reporters during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he holds "different" views on North Korea's recent missile tests.

Abe said he disagreed with Trump's view on North Korea's missile testing but added that he agreed with Trump on efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

SEE ALSO: Trump says he 'smiled' when Kim Jong Un insulted Joe Biden, wasn't 'disturbed' by North Korean missile tests even though his advisers were

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• Three men, including one linked to a neo-fascist political party, were arrested with a bevy of weapons in northern Italy.
• Police in Turin uncovered a stash of automatic weapons, Nazi paraphernalia, and an air-to-air missile.
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ROME (AP) — Police in northern Italy have detained three men, including one linked to a neo-fascist Italian political party, after uncovering a huge stash of automatic weapons, a missile and material featuring Nazi symbols.

Police said the discoveries stemmed from a previous investigation into Italians who took part in the Russian-backed insurgency in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.

In a statement Monday, Turin police said one of the men arrested had in 2001 run unsuccessfully as a Senate candidate for the neo-fascist Forza Nuova party.

At his home in Gallarate, police found nine assault weapons, nearly 30 hunting rifles, pistols and bayonets as well as ammunition and antique Nazi plaques featuring swastikas.

Two other men were detained after police found a French-made air-to-air missile at an airport hangar that they apparently were seeking to sell.

SEE ALSO: The Marine lance corporal who praised Nazis is getting kicked out of the Corps

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NOW WATCH: Neo-Nazi groups let a journalist in their meetings and rallies — here's what he saw

• Italian police raided right-wing groups earlier this month, recovering an arsenal of weapons, including a French-made air-to-air missile.
• The missile, originally belonging to Qatar, was sold to a friendly nation before being found in Italy.
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As you probably know by now, on July 15, 2019, the antiterrorism section of DIGOS (Italian acronym for General Investigations and Special Operations Division), a specialized unit of Polizia di Stato (the Italian State Police), carried out a raid against a neo-Nazi gang and retrieved an arsenal of various weapons, weapon parts, munitions and, notably, a Matra R530F radar-guided air-to-air missile.

The investigation began last year while monitoring Italian foreign fighters involved in combat operations in the Donbass region in Ukraine. While monitoring telephone communications of one of the suspects, the police discovered the presence of the missile and some attempts to sell it to an unknown client for 470,000 euro.

The police then proceeded to retrieve the missile in a warehouse near Voghera-Rivanazzano Terme airport, in northern Italy.

The missile is a French-made Matra R-530F (also known as Super 530) semi-active radar homing (SARH) short to medium range air-to-air missile and was found in its original container, whose markings identified it as belonging to the Qatar Armed Forces.

The entire markings stated:

"Contract dated 10th October, 80

State of Qatar

Qatar Armed Forces

Doha-Qatar-Arabian Gulf

MIS A/A MP EM F20 S530

LOT:83, SER N: 5284"

Based on the markings, the missile is an R.530 F20 version with serial number 5284, belonging to the production lot 83 and sold to the Government of Qatar on Oct. 10, 1980.

The missile is marked as a "live" (not inert) as shown by the presence of a yellow band that is used to highlight the presence of an explosive warhead and a red band meaning the presence of rocket fuel; however, during the inspection, it was found that the warhead was missing. The police didn't provide additional details about the fuel and the guidance section.

The Super 530 missiles were meant to arm the 14 Mirage F1EDA fighters bought the same year by the Qatar Emiri Air Force. The F20 version was specifically designed to be carried by Mirage F1, while the D version was designed to be carried by the newer Mirage 2000. In 1994 Qatar replaced the Mirage F1 with the Mirage 2000, selling its old fighters to Spain and the Super 530 missile to an unknown nation.

It not clear yet how the missile came in the hand of the neo-Nazi gang and how it crossed the Italian border undetected. Still, it is possible that the missile is one of those that were sold to Spain, even though the Spanish missiles were retired and reportedly "demilitarized" along with the Mirage F1 type in 2013.

Qatar foreign ministry spokeswoman Lolwah Alkhater said in a statement: "The authorities in Qatar have immediately started an investigation alongside the respective Italian authorities and the authorities of another friendly nation to which the Matra missile was sold 25 years ago. The captured Matra Super530 missile was sold by Qatar in the year 1994 in a deal that included 40 Matra Super 530 missiles to a friendly nation that wishes not to be named at this point of the investigation. Qatar is working very closely now with the pertinent parties including Italy to unveil the facts and it is very concerned as to how a missile sold 25 years ago ended up in the hands of a third non-state party."

Some days after the raid, the reasons why the far-right group acquired an air-to-air missile is still a mystery.

Some believe they were trying to sell the missile to one of the few remaining air arms that are currently flying the aircraft (especially Libya, where the Government of National Accord still operates at least an F1 and might be interested in using it against Haftar's Libyan National Army) or to organizations that may be interested in either studying or reverse-engineering/modifying the missile. (Although it won't be an easy endeavour, unless done by someone with significant expertise and skills.)

Among other weapons recovered in the raids were 20 guns, including nine assault rifles, one submachine gun, three hunting rifles and seven pistols, 20 bayonets, 306 gun parts, including silencers and rifle scopes, and 831 bullets of various calibers.

The footage released by the Italian authorities shows also an F-104 Starfighter simulator that has no intelligence/military significance (it's just a collector item considered that the aircraft has been withdrawn from operational use some 15 years ago):

The entire inventory can be found in the official statement released by the Police (link in Italian). The F-104 simulator is not included: Most probably it was just hosted in the same place as the seized weapons.

SEE ALSO: Italian police seize huge weapon stash, Nazi symbols, and an air-to-air missile in raids on far right

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• Lockheed Martin was recently awarded a $34.7 million contract to modify the F-35 weapons bay to carry "aft heavy weaponry."
• The weaponry referenced in the announcement is the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile — Extended Range (AARGM-ER), which is designed to eliminate enemy radar systems at range, Aviation Week reported.
• The weapon would potentially give the F-35 the ability to operate in contested areas, such as those defended by Russian and Chinese anti-access area-denial capabilities.
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As rival powers develop increasingly capable air-defense networks, the US military is working with defense firms to arm the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter with a missile able to destroy these systems at long range.

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $34.7 million contract to modify the stealth jet's internal weapons bay to carry "aft heavy weaponry," the Department of Defense announced last week.

The "aft heavy weaponry" referenced in the announcement is the Navy's Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile — Extended Range (AARGM-ER), a standoff weapon designed to target enemy radar systems from outside the range of enemy air-defense assets, a source close to the project told Aviation Week.

Northrop Grumman, which is responsible for the development of the AARGM-ER, has said that this long-range weapon can be deployed from a "sanctuary," a protected area presumably beyond the reach of Chinese and Russian anti-access area-denial capabilities.

The exact range of the weapon is classified, although there are reports that it could be in excess of 120 miles, significantly farther than the 60 to 80 miles of the AGM-88E AARGM.

The US Navy began developing the AARGM-ER, officially designated the AGM-88G, nearly two years ago with reported plans to field this weapon on nonstealthy fourth-generation fighters like the carrier-based F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and the electronic attack EA-18G Growlers sometime in the early 2020s.

The service is expected to later integrate the missile into the weapons bay of the fifth-generation F-35Cs, which only recently achieved initial operating capability.

The Air Force, also a part of the project, is expected to field the AGM-88G on its F-35As around 2025. The Marine Corps F-35Bs, because of the presence of the lift fan, has very limited space in its internal weapons bay.

The F-35 modifications, which will involve changes to the Station 425 bulkhead in the weapons bay, will also allow the advanced fighters to carry more air-to-air missiles internally, Aviation Week reported. The "Sidekick" modification, as the program is called, will allow the F-35 to carry six AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles, instead of four, internally.

Read more: The F-35 is about to get a lot more lethal in air-to-air combat — without losing its stealth

The ability to store more firepower in the weapons bay rather than externally allows the F-35 to maintain its all-aspect stealth in combat. Storing the weapons on the outside in the "beast-mode" configuration allows the aircraft to carry more weapons overall, but it increases the size of the jet's radar signature, making it easier to detect.

The modifications will be made at a facility in Fort Worth, Texas, and completed in 2022.

SEE ALSO: US Marines turned a warship into an F-35 'Lightning carrier' in a test to boost US power

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• North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan early Thursday morning, South Korean officials said.
• Experts say this is Pyongyang's attempt to get the US's attention after their recent nuclear negotiations reached an impasse.
• North Korea wants the US to provide sanctions relief, while Washington says it would do so only if Pyongyang demonstrates a clear effort to dismantle its nuclear program first.
• Earlier this week Pyongyang's state media also showed photos of Kim inspecting a suspected nuclear-capable submarine.
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North Korea fired two missiles into the Sea of Japan, the South Korean military said, in what experts say is an attempt to get the US's attention after unsuccessful nuclear talks.

The regime launched the two as-yet-unidentified, short-range missiles from the eastern coastal city of Wonsan at 5:34 a.m. and 5:37 a.m. local time Thursday, USA Today reported, citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

One projectile flew about 430 km (267 miles) and the other about 690 km (428 miles), both landing in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, South Korean officials said, according to The Associated Press (AP).

Both missiles were fired from mobile launchers, and flew at a maximum height of 50 km (30 miles), one unnamed South Korean official told the AP.

The relatively longer-range missile appeared to be a new design, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed South Korean official.

The missiles fell into the sea just before reaching Japan's exclusive economic zone, Kyodo News reported, citing an unnamed Japanese government source.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said the test did not impact the country's national security, Kyodo News said.

North Korea may be trying to get Trump's attention

Thursday's test is North Korea's first projectile launch since its leader Kim Jong Un briefly met US President Donald Trump at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in late June, and Trump became the first serving US president to step foot into North Korea.

Experts say this launch could be Pyongyang's attempt to get the US's attention after nuclear talks broke down this February.

The second Trump-Kim summit in Vietnam ended early with no resolution. North Korea wants the US to provide sanctions relief to help revive its economy, while Washington says it would do so only if Pyongyang demonstrates a clear effort to dismantle its nuclear program first.

"North Korea appears to be thinking its diplomacy with the US isn't proceeding in a way that they want," Kim Dae-young, an analyst at Seoul's Korea Research Institute for National Security, told the AP.

"So they've fired missiles to get the table to turn in their favor."

John Bolton, Trump's hawkish national security adviser, an advocate of a hardline "maximum pressure" policy on Pyongyang, was in Seoul during the missile launch. He has yet to comment publicly.

The fact that the regime fired short-range missiles — rather than long-range ones capable of reaching the US mainland — suggested that North Korea did not mean for the test to be a provocation, simply a warning, the AP noted.

Kim Dong-yup, a former South Korean navy officer, told Reuters that the weapons were not as aggressive as long-range missiles but were "enough to subtly pressure" the US.

Ankit Panda, an international security and defense expert, also tweeted that the apparently new missile would "also really punch up the qualitative opportunity costs of dragging out diplomacy with Kim Jong Un."

He also added that being able to fly 690 km "gets this missile mighty close to being able to strike" the US Marine Corps Air Station at Iwakuni, which is home to F-35s stealth fighter jets.

Pyongyang is likely upset about the ongoing US-South Korea alliance

"North Korea is clearly upset that the US and South Korea are conducting joint military exercises," Harry Kazianis, a senior director at the Center for the National Interest think tank, told USA Today.

"We should not be shocked by this move and, in fact, we should have seen it coming," he added.

South Korea said earlier this week that it would continue to conduct its longstanding joint military exercise with the US, despite Pyongyang's saying that the war games would jeopardize upcoming nuclear talks with Washington.

Earlier this week North Korean state media showed photos of Kim inspecting a new submarine suspected to be able to carry nuclear warheads.

The regime has long sought to build a missile-carrying submarine and has tested several missiles designed to fire from submarines in the past, but had never been able to build such a vessel due to international sanctions.

Read more:Close analysis of Kim Jong Un's new nuclear-missile submarine reveals it's bound for a suicide mission

Kim Hong-kyun, a former South Korean nuclear attaché, told Reuters: "By firing missiles, taking issue with military drills and showing a new submarine, the North is sending one clear message: there might be no working-level talks if the United States doesn't present a more flexible stance."

The regime's last weapons test took place on May 9, in which it unexpectedly fired various rockets and short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, in what also appeared to be a warning to the Trump administration to restart talks.

That was the first ballistic missile launch since Pyongyang tested the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017.

At that point the US and North Korea still had a rocky relationship, with Kim and Trump openly trading barbs in public.

South Korean experts are now working alongside US counterparts to analyze the data from the launch, Seoul's presidential Blue House said in a Thursday statement, cited by Reuters.

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• North Korea test-fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles Thursday, which Seoul characterized as a "new type" of threat.
• US officials said North Korea appears to be shortening the time it takes to launch missiles, reducing the time the US and its allies have to detect a launch.
• Experts describe the weapons North Korea has been testing as potential first-strike weapons that could be used to start a war, given their ability to skirt defenses.
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North Korea tested a "new type" of missile on Thursday in the first test since President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Korean border last month, South Korea has determined.

North Korea test-fired two short-range missiles, one flying 267 miles and another 428 miles. Seoul assessed the weapons to be "a new type of short-range ballistic missile."

Many observers quickly determined that the test was an attempt to get the Trump administration's attention in the wake of several leadership summits that failed to produce an outcome desired by either side or possibly a warning to South Korea as it strengthens its military.

Evidence from the past couple of months seems to suggest that North Korea is also strengthening its arsenal to counter regional threats to its offensive capabilities — some of the most important cards it holds in ongoing nuclear negotiations.

Read more: North Korea's latest missile test was an attempt to get Trump's attention after failed nuclear talks, experts say

North Korea twice in May tested a new short-range ballistic missile, a weapon known as the KN-23 which some have compared to Russia's SS-26 Iskander. It is unclear if the weapons tested Thursday included a modified variant of this weapon or something else entirely.

The North Koreans are "developing a reliable, operable missile that can defeat missile defenses and conduct a precision strike in South Korea," Grace Liu, a weapons expert at the Jams Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, told Reuters in May.

Read more: Kim Jong Un launched a barrage of rockets and missiles in an unexpected show of force

Jeffrey Lewis, another CNS expert, suggested at that time that the weapon's maneuverability seemed to indicate it was designed to skirt missile defenses, such as the Patriot and THAAD batteries deployed in South Korea.

Looking at the missiles tested Thursday, US officials told Reuters that their preliminary analysis indicated the weapons were similar to the ones tested in May but noted that the latest test appeared to involve missiles with enhanced capabilities.

One official revealed that North Korea appeared to be decreasing the time it takes to launch missiles, thus reducing the time the US and its allies have to detect a launch. North Korea has repeatedly demonstrated an interest in solid-fueled missiles like the KN-23, weapons that can be fueled in advanced and launched quickly for surprise attacks.

The missiles launched Thursday reached an altitude of only about 30 miles, an altitude generally consistent with previous tests of the KN-23.

"If it's very low and very fast, that shortens warning and decision time," Adam Mount, director of the Defense Posture Project with the Federation of American Scientists, told CNN. "Those kinds of things could be useful in a retaliatory situation, but it's even more relevant for a first strike."

Melissa Hanham, another well-known missile expert, told Reuters in May, that the types of weapons North Korea is testing, weapons deemed by the Trump administration to be less important than the intercontinental ballistic missiles the country was building and testing in 2017, are the types of weapons "that will start the war."

South Korea described Thursday's missile test "as a military threat and an action undermining efforts to alleviate tensions on the Korean Peninsula," CNN reported.

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NOW WATCH: Watch the US Navy shoot down a medium-range missile in a test after North Korea launched a missile over Japan

• North Korea's state media said its two missile launches on Thursday were directed at "South Korean military warmongers" in a "solemn warning" against plans to hold military exercises with the United States.
• The statement made clear that North Korea is infuriated over Seoul's purchase of US-made high-tech fighter jets and US-South Korean plans to hold military drills this summer that the North says are rehearsals for an invasion and proof of the allies' hostility to Pyongyang.
• The message comes a day after North Korea test-fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles, which Seoul characterized as a "new type" of threat.
• Although the North had harsh words for South Korea, the statement stayed away from the kind of belligerent attacks on the United States that have marked past announcements, a possible signal that it's interested in keeping diplomacy alive.

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A day after two North Korean missile launches rattled Asia, the nation announced Friday that its leader Kim Jong Un supervised a test of a new-type tactical guided weapon that was meant to be a "solemn warning" about South Korean weapons introduction and its rival's plans to hold military exercises with the United States.

The message in the country's state media quoted Kim and was directed at "South Korean military warmongers." It comes as U.S. and North Korean officials struggle to set up talks after a recent meeting on the Korean border between Kim and President Donald Trump seemed to provide a step forward in stalled nuclear negotiations. 

Although the North had harsh words for South Korea, the statement stayed away from the kind of belligerent attacks on the United States that have marked past announcements, a possible signal that it's interested in keeping diplomacy alive.

It made clear, however, that North Korea is infuriated over Seoul's purchase of U.S.-made high-tech fighter jets and U.S.-South Korean plans to hold military drills this summer that the North says are rehearsals for an invasion and proof of the allies' hostility to Pyongyang.

After watching the weapons' launches, Kim said they are "hard to intercept" because of the "low-altitude gliding and leaping flight orbit of the tactical guided missile," according to the Korean Central News Agency. He was quoted as saying the possession of "such a state-of-the-art weaponry system" is of "huge eventful significance" in bolstering his country's armed forces and guaranteeing national security.

Read more:North Korea is not only firing off new missiles — it may also be learning to launch them faster

South Korean officials said Thursday the weapons North Korea fired were a new type of a short-range ballistic missile and that a detailed analysis is necessary to find out more about the missiles. But many civilian experts say the weapons are likely a North Korean version of the Russian-made Iskander, a short-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile that has been in the Russian arsenal for more than a decade.

That missile is designed to fly at a flattened-out altitude of around 40 kilometers (25 miles) and make in-flight guidance adjustments. Both capabilities exploit weaknesses in the U.S. and South Korean missile defenses that are now in place, primarily Patriot missile batteries and the THAAD anti-missile defense system. The Iskander is also quicker to launch and harder to destroy on the ground, because of its solid fuel engine. It advanced guidance system also makes it more accurate.

The launches were the first known weapons tests by North Korea in more than two months. When North Korea fired three missiles into the sea in early May, many outside experts also said at the time those weapons strongly resembled the Iskander.

The North Korean message Friday was gloating at times, saying the test "must have given uneasiness and agony to some targeted forces enough as it intended."

KCNA accused South Korea of "running high fever in their moves to introduce the ultramodern offensive weapons."

North Korea likely referred to South Korea's purchase and ongoing deployment of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets. Earlier this month, North Korea said it would develop and test "special weapons" to destroy the aircraft. Under its biggest weapons purchase, South Korea is to buy 40 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin by 2021. The first two arrived in March and two others are to be delivered in coming weeks.

South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday described the launches as "acts of provocation" that are "not helpful to an efforts to alleviate military tensions on the Korean Peninsula."

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus urged "no more provocations," saying the U.S. is committed to diplomatic engagement with North Korea. "We continue to press and hope for these working-level negotiations to move forward," she said.

Read more: North Korea's latest missile test was an attempt to get Trump's attention after failed nuclear talks, experts say

North Korea is banned by U.N. Security Council resolutions from engaging in any launch using ballistic technology. While the North could face international condemnation over the latest launches, it's unlikely that the nation, already under 11 rounds of U.N. sanctions, will be hit with fresh punitive measures. The U.N. council has typically imposed new sanctions only when the North conducted long-range ballistic launches.

North Korea has been urging the U.S. and South Korea to scrap their military drills. Last week, it said it may lift its 20-month suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests in response. Seoul said Wednesday that North Korea was protesting the drills by refusing to accept its offer to send 50,000 tons of rice through an international agency.

North Korea also may be trying to get an upper hand ahead of a possible resumption of nuclear talks. Pyongyang wants widespread sanctions relief so it can revive its dilapidated economy. U.S. officials demand North Korea first take significant steps toward disarmament before they will relinquish the leverage provided by the sanctions.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the swift resumption of talks between the United States and North Korea following the new missile launches.

China, the North's last major ally and biggest aid provider, said both Washington and Pyongyang should restart their nuclear diplomacy as soon as possible.

"North Korea appears to be thinking its diplomacy with the U.S. isn't proceeding in a way that they want. So they've fired missiles to get the table to turn in their favor," said analyst Kim Dae-young at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

SEE ALSO: US Navy warship sails through Taiwan Strait as China warns it 'makes no promise' not to use force to defend its interests

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