U.S. and South Korea hold live-fire exercises

The United States and South Korea flew warplanes over the Korean Peninsula on Thursday in a show of force, two days after North Korea fired a missile over Japan. Seoul’s Defense Ministry said two U.S. B-1B supersonic bombers from Guam, four F-35B stealth fighters from Japan, and four South Korean F-15 fighter jets took part in the joint live-fire exercises. The operation came as the United States and South Korea wrapped up their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint military drills. The aircraft carried out air-to-ground bombing drills that simulated precision strikes against the North’s “core facilities.” The exercises took place at a military field in eastern South Korea. North Korea on Tuesday launched an immediate range Hwasong-12 missile over Japan. The rogue nation’s state media said the launch was a prelude to attacks directed at the U.S. territory of Guam.