North Korea fired a missile that passed over Japan, the Pentagon confirmed Monday evening.
“We can confirm that the missile launch by North Korea flew over Japan. We are in the process of assessing this launch,” a spokesman said in a statement. “North American Aerospsace Defense Command, or NORAD, determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America.”
The missile landed in the ocean after traveling roughly 1677 miles, the Associated Press reported. It was launched early Tuesday local time.
North Korea has ramped up its missile launches in recent weeks. The country on Saturday fired three short-range missiles that landed in the sea as the U.S. and South Korea conducted joint military exercises.
President Donald Trump warned the country earlier in August not to make any more threats against the U.S. or face “fire and fury like the world has never seen.” North Korea then threatened to fire missiles around the nearby U.S. island territory of Guam.
Trump’s warning came after North Korea test-fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July. Experts said the second missile appeared capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.
Pyongyang has also reportedly produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can be placed in a missile.
