North Kora fired multiple rounds with rocket launches in Yellow Sea after South Korea holds air drills with US, Japan
A day after South Korea conducted joint air drills with the US and Japan, North Korea fired over 10 rounds of rockets into the Yellow Sea on Thursday morning from Sunan near Pyongyang in a north-westerly direction, according to South Korea's military.
South Korea typically classifies the weapons used by North Korea's military as short-range ballistic missiles. Under UN Security Council resolutions, North Korea is prohibited from using ballistic missiles, Reuters reported.
The missiles were launched from Pyongyang's upgraded 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher, which was unveiled last year and is believed to be capable of striking South Korean population centers, comprising the Seoul metropolitan area, New York Post report said.
A South Korean military official informed local media, 'The projectiles, believed to be multiple launch rockets, flew tens of kilometers before falling into the Yellow Sea." The official mentioned South Korean and US intelligence are closely monitoring details.
South Korea, the US, and Japan held their first trilateral military air exercise on Wednesday under the administration of Lee Jae Myung, who was elected earlier this month.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated in recent months, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's growing alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin. North Korea has reportedly supplied weapons and up to 15,000 troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine. South Korean officials fear Pyongyang may receive economic assistance and advanced military technology in return, potentially boosting its weapons development programmes.
Kim has also continued to advance his nuclear and missile capabilities. This year, North Korea successfully constructed two 5,000-ton naval destroyers, with Kim describing the new warship as 'convincing proof of the rapid transformation of our Navy.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Iran-Israel War: India ramps up oil imports from Russia, US in June
India has ramped up purchases of Russian oil in June, importing more than the combined volumes from Middle Eastern suppliers such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq, amid market volatility triggered by Israel's dramatic attack on Iran . The US military struck three sites in Iran early Sunday, directly joining Israel which first struck Iranian nuclear sites on June 13. Indian refiners are likely to import 2-2.2 million barrels per day of Russian crude oil in June - the highest in the last two years and more than the total volumes bought from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, preliminary data by global trade analytics firm Kpler showed. India's oil imports from Russia were 1.96 million barrels per day (bpd) in May. ALSO READ: Why the US used B-2 stealth bombers, costing $2.1 billion each to strike Iran's nuclear sites Imports from the United States also rose to 439,000 bpd in June, a big jump from 280,000 bpd purchased in the previous month. Full-month projections for imports from the Middle East stand at around 2 million bpd, lower than the previous month's buying, according to Kpler. India, the world's third-largest oil-importing and consuming nation, bought from abroad around 5.1 million barrels of crude oil, which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel in refineries. ALSO READ: US forces bomb Iranian nuclear sites; 'Fordow is gone' says Trump India, which has traditionally sourced its oil from the Middle East, began importing a large volume of oil from Russia soon after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This was primarily because Russian oil was available at a significant discount to other international benchmarks due to Western sanctions and some European countries shunning purchases. This led to India's imports of Russian oil seeing a dramatic rise, growing from less than 1 per cent of its total crude oil imports to a staggering 40-44 per cent in a short period. The conflict in the Middle East has so far not impacted oil supplies. ALSO READ: In his own words: Trump's Iran strike tests his rhetoric on ending wars "While supplies remain unaffected so far, vessel activity suggests a decline in crude loadings from the Middle East in the coming days," Sumit Ritolia, Lead Research Analyst, Refining & Modeling at Kpler, told PTI. "Shipowners are hesitant to send empty tankers (ballasters) into the Gulf, with the number of such vessels dropping from 69 to just 40, and (Middle East and Gulf) MEG-bound signals from the Gulf of Oman halving." This suggests that current MEG supplies are likely to tighten in the near term, potentially triggering future adjustments in India's sourcing strategy, he said. The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south, serves as the main route for oil exports from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE. Many liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, especially from Qatar, also pass through the strait. As the military conflict between Israel and Iran escalates, Tehran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and a major LNG export transit. India imports about 40 per cent of all its oil and about half of its gas through the narrow Strait. According to Kpler, concerns over a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz have intensified following Israel's pre-emptive strikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. Iranian hardliners have threatened closure, and state media have warned of oil spiking to USD 400 per barrel. "Yet, Kpler analysis assigns a very low probability to a full blockade, citing strong disincentives for Iran," Ritolia said. This is because China, Iran's largest oil customer (which imports 47 per cent of its seaborne crude from the Middle East Gulf), would be directly impacted. Also, Iran's reliance on Hormuz for oil exports via Kharg Island (handles 96 per cent of its exports) makes self-blockade counterproductive. Additionally, Tehran has made deliberate efforts over the past two years to rebuild ties with key regional actors, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which rely heavily on the Strait for exports and have publicly condemned Israel's actions. Sabotaging their flows would risk unraveling those diplomatic gains. A closure would also provoke international military retaliation. Any Iranian naval build-up would be detectable in advance, likely triggering a preemptive US and allied response. At most, isolated sabotage efforts could disrupt flows for 24-48 hours, the estimated time required for US forces to neutralise Iran's conventional naval assets, according to Kpler. Any such move would provoke military retaliation and diplomatic fallout with Oman, undermining Iran's own backchannels with the US. Ritolia said India's import strategy has evolved significantly over the past two years. Russian oil (Urals, ESPO, Sokol) is logistically detached from Hormuz, flowing via the Suez Canal, Cape of Good Hope, or Pacific Ocean. Indian refiners have built refining and payment flexibility, while optimizing runs for a wider crude slate. Even US, West African, and Latin American flows - though costlier - are increasingly viable backup options. "India's June volumes from Russia and the US confirm this resilience-oriented mix," he said. "If conflict deepens or there is any short-term disruption in Hormuz, Russian barrels will rise in share, offering both physical availability and pricing relief. India may pivot harder toward the US, Nigeria, Angola, and Brazil, albeit at higher freight costs. Also, India may tap its strategic reserves (covering 9-10 days of imports) to bridge any shortfall.
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
35 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump uses 6 bunker-buster bombs, 30 Tomahawk missiles against Iran: What are these weapons?
Donald Trump told the American public and the world that the US 'completely obliterated' Iran's main nuclear sites after striking them. The president later added that the US military used six massive bunker buster bombs and 30 Tomahawk missiles to decimate the nuclear facilities. But how effective are these weapons? read more A GBU-57, or the Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb, at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri. The US used six of these bunker-busters to target Iran's Fordow nuclear site on Sunday. File image/AP The United States has done it. It has inserted itself into Israel's war against Iran — by carrying out strikes against three nuclear plants in Tehran. US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the strikes had 'totally obliterated' Iran's main nuclear sites and that Washington would go after more targets if Iran did not make peace quickly. 'Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,' said Trump, adding that they targeted the crucial underground nuclear enrichment plant of Fordow along with facilities at Natanz and Isfahan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran the bully of the Middle East must now make peace,' said Trump. Speaking on the strikes to Fox News, Trump said that six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired against other nuclear sites. This is the first time that the US has made use of its bunker-busting bomb — also known as Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs. Catch all live updates from US joining Israel's war against Iran here As the war now escalates with Iran, we take a closer look at the different types of bombs and missiles that the US used in taking out the Iranian sites. US strikes on Iran On Sunday (June 22), the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran, with the aim of destroying the country's nuclear programme. Following the strikes, US President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the White House, asserting that Iran's key nuclear sites were 'completely and fully obliterated.' However, there is no independent damage assessment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on the strikes, saying that 'with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history'. People sit at a bar counter as a television screen displays the address to the nation by US President Donald Trump, after he said that a 'very successful attack' on three nuclear sites had been carried out in Iran, in Washington, DC. Reuters Meanwhile, Iran's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, warned in a post on X that the US. attacks 'will have everlasting consequences' and that Tehran 'reserves all options' to retaliate. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations also called for an emergency Security Council meeting to discuss what he described as the US' 'heinous attacks and illegal use of force' against Iran. Bunker-busting bombs The bunker buster is a broad term used to describe bombs, which have the ability penetrate deep below the surface before exploding. To target Iran's Fordow nuclear plant, the US used the latest GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb. This is a roughly 13,600 kg precision-guided bomb designed to attack deeply buried and hardened bunkers and tunnels, according to the US Air Force. This bomb is able to penetrate about 200 feet (61 metres) below the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another, effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This bomb also comes with a delayed-action smart fuse. This means the warhead does not detonate on impact, but rather does so only when it reaches a halt underground. However, there's one drawback in using the bunker-buster bomb — it can only be launched by America's B-2 bombers. Experts say that this is because of the bomb's weight; it is considered too heavy to carry by the other aircraft. This is a problem because the US Air Force has just 19 B-2 bombers currently in service. Tomahawk missiles In addition to using the bunker-buster bombs at Fordow, Trump told Fox News that the US military fired 30 Tomahawk missiles at Iran's Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites . But what exactly are Tomahawk missiles? How deadly are they? The Tomahawk is an intermediate-range, subsonic cruise missile that is launched from US Navy ships and submarines. It provides a long-range, deep strike capability. The development of this missile began in 1972 by the US Navy and was designed to fly at subsonic speed while maintaining a low altitude, making it difficult to detect on radar. The US fires a Tomahawk cruise missile. File image/AFP It was first used by America during the Gulf War in 1991 in Operation Desert Storm against Iraqi targets and was again used by the US forces during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Today, the Tomahawk missile reportedly costs about $2 million each and measures 18.3 feet long, weighs 3,200 pounds (4,400 with booster), and carries a 1,000-pound conventional warhead or cluster munitions. It travels at 550 mph (Mach 0.74), with a range of 1,550–2,500 kilometres (1,000–1,500 miles), guided by GPS, inertial navigation, and terrain contour matching for accuracy within 10 metres. With inputs from agencies


Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Tejasvi Surya slams Bengaluru Metro over fare hike, demands release of fare fixation report
BJP MP from Bengaluru South, Tejasvi Surya, has once again turned up the heat on the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), demanding that it immediately release the Fare Fixation Committee's (FFC) report, which led to the recent revision in Namma Metro ticket prices. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.(PTI) Also Read - Bengaluru bike taxi riders protest outside Vidhana Soudha to lift the ban, detained In a post on social media platform X, Surya questioned BMRCL's lack of transparency, asking why the report had not yet been made public despite repeated calls. He also took a broader swipe at the city's approach to public transport, saying it lacked vision, aesthetics, and respect for the commuter. 'Why are you not making it public? What is it that you want to hide?' the MP asked. 'This isn't a matter of national security. Commuters have the right to know what justified such steep fare hikes.' Surya said he had personally reminded BMRCL's Managing Director on Friday to disclose the committee's findings. The FFC is a statutory body constituted under the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002, responsible for recommending fare structures. Drawing comparisons with international transit systems, Surya cited the Moscow Metro as a model example of urban mobility done right. He praised the Russian capital's metro for its ultra-high frequency (80-second intervals), dense radial connectivity, affordable pricing, and architecturally stunning stations. Also Read - Karnataka man kills wife for excessive watching of Instagram reels: Report 'Public transport isn't just about movement,' he wrote. 'It's about ambition, aesthetics, and respect for the commuter. But this sentiment is missing in Bengaluru.' He urged BMRCL to learn from global best practices and focus not only on operational efficiency but also on commuter experience and affordability. Surya reiterated that public transport in a growing urban centre like Bengaluru should be the cheapest, fastest, and most accessible mode of mobility, not a financial burden on its users. The recent fare revision by BMRCL has faced sharp criticism from regular metro users and urban mobility advocates alike. While the corporation has defended the move citing rising operational costs and expansion efforts, it has yet to explain how the fares were calculated — something the still-unreleased FFC report is expected to clarify.