N.korea Believed To Have Launched Multiple Missiles Thursday Morning
North Korea is believed to have launched multiple ballistic missiles headed in an easterly direction on Thursday morning. Japanese officials say one may have been an ICBM. They are trying to determine the latest details.
Japan's Defense Ministry says the missiles flew toward the Sea of Japan from around 7:40 a.m.
They estimate that one traveled about 750 kilometers before falling into the Sea of Japan and at an altitude of about 2,000 kilometers. They say it is believed to be an intermediate- or long-range ballistic missile.
Another missile, launched from North Korea's west coast, was earlier suspected to have flown over Japan.
The nationwide J-ALERT emergency warning system issued an alert. It said a North Korean missile seemed to have flown over Miyagi, Yamagata and Niigata prefectures around 7:48 a.m.
But when the system confirmed the missile had disappeared over the Sea of Japan, it revised the alert.
Japan's defense ministry sources say North Korea may have launched another missile around 8:40 a.m. They say officials are monitoring the situation.
Government officials say there are no reports of missile-related damage so far.