North Korea says it has successfully tested a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the entire continental United States.
“Kim Jong Un declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power,” the state-run KNCA news agency said.
The Hwasong-15 ICBM “reached an altitude of 4,475km (2,780 miles) and flew 950km (590 miles) for 53 minutes”, before landing in waters off the coast of Japan, the BBC says.
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South Korea held a missile drill within minutes of the launch, firing a “precision strike” missile to show it was prepared to react immediately in the event of an attack by Pyongyang.
Following the launch, US Senator Lindsey Graham told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer “If we have to go to war to stop this, we will.”
“If there's a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed to a war if things don't change,” Graham said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the launch, describing it as showing “complete disregard for the united view of the international community”.
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