North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the launch of long-range strategic cruise missiles on Sunday, in what state media described as a test confirming the country’s nuclear deterrent and readiness to respond to security threats.
The missiles flew along a trajectory over waters west of the Korean Peninsula before striking their target, the state news agency KCNA reported on Monday.
Kim expressed “great satisfaction” with the launch, calling regular checks of the country’s nuclear deterrent a “responsible exercise” amid what he described as ongoing security challenges facing the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Kim said North Korea would continue devoting all its efforts to the “unlimited” development of its nuclear combat force, KCNA said.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said its military detected the launch of multiple cruise missiles at around 8 a.m. on Sunday from the Sunan area near Pyongyang.
South Korean defence officials said a series of recent North Korean military activities, including reported work on a nuclear-powered submarine, were undermining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
The missile launch follows reports last week that Kim observed the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine alongside his daughter and oversaw the test-firing of long-range surface-to-air missiles.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that additional missile tests could take place around the New Year, though South Korea’s military declined to comment.
Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said the latest launch was likely aimed at testing upgrades to cruise missiles capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.
The missile test comes amid a period of heightened activity by Kim ahead of a ruling Workers’ Party congress scheduled for early 2026. In recent weeks, Kim has attended a series of military inspections as well as the opening of industrial and infrastructure projects, including a paper mill inaugurated on Sunday.
North Korea is expected to convene the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in early 2026, as it seeks to complete its current five-year development plan.
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Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is under preliminary investigation in France over a suspected conflict of interest linked to the 2024 sale of Ligue 1 broadcasting rights.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslides across the Kanto region, including Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 21 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in sports.
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