North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Ahead of Major U.S.-South Korea Military Drills

The launch, detected by Japanese officials, marks another escalation in regional tensions as Seoul and Washington prepare for joint military exercises.

North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile, according to defense officials in Japan, in an apparent act of defiance just days before the commencement of large-scale joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea. International observers and military analysts are closely monitoring the situation, noting that this latest provocation fits into Pyongyang's pattern of using missile tests to express displeasure toward allied military cooperation in the region. The launch was confirmed by Tokyo, which remains on high alert following the projectile's trajectory over…