North Korean fighter jets fly near the border, Seoul sends planes

Twelve North Korean fighters flew over an area near the border with South Korea on Thursday, which in turn sent planes, according to Yonhap News Agency. The incident, the second in a week to involve fighter jets, comes amid heightened military tensions on the peninsula, where North Korea has carried out a series of missile launches recently, including on Thursday.

Ballistic missile launch series

According to South Korea’s General Staff, citing Yonhap Agency, ten fighter jets were spotted flying 25 kilometers north of the border between the two countries from 11:30 pm Thursday to 12:20 am local time Friday. North Korean planes crossed a “Line of Recognition”Which led to an automatic response from the south, according to the same source. Yonhap added that Seoul then sent combat aircraft, including the F-35AS, according to the General Staff.

This episode comes shortly after the tests of two long-range strategic cruise missiles by Pyongyang on Wednesday, North Korean official newspapers announced, specifying that these tests were supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Thursday, North Korea launched a new unidentified ballistic missile, according to the South Korean News Agency. Pyongyang described its recent missile tests as a tactical nuclear exercise simulating strikes on airports and military facilities in South Korea.

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The launch of two cruise missiles on Wednesday is intended to enhance the combat effectiveness of these launched weapons Deployed in KPA units to operate tactical nuclear weapons.The official North Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday. The two projectiles, which flew at much lower altitudes than ballistic missiles, traveled 2,000 kilometers over the Yellow Sea before reaching their target, the Korean Central News Agency said.

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