North Korea Fires Missiles After US Venezuela Strike
North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward waters off its east coast, according to South Korea’s military, in the country’s first reported missile launch of 2026. The launches were detected from an area near Pyongyang and flew toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. No damage was reported, but the launches triggered condemnation from South Korea and Japan, which said the tests violated UN Security Council resolutions.
Message Tied to Regional and Global Tensions
The missile activity came amid heightened global attention following recent US military action in Venezuela. North Korea also issued sharp criticism of the US strike, calling it a serious violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and portraying Washington as a destabilising force in international affairs. Analysts said the sequence of events suggested Pyongyang was using both the missile launch and the diplomatic statement to project deterrence and signal that it would resist pressure.
Timing Around Diplomacy
The launch also coincided with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to China, adding to regional sensitivity around security issues on the Korean peninsula. The US military said it was monitoring developments and coordinating closely with allies, while stressing there was no immediate threat to the US homeland.
