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The United States, South Korea, and Japan held a joint naval missile defense exercise Sunday to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

This comes just days after Pyongyang fired its latest Hwasong-18 missile, which it says was a “strong practical warning” to its adversaries. But Professor Kim Dong-Yub of the University of North Korea Studies says this missile launch goes beyond that.

The US.. and its allies responded to this show of strength with trilateral drills conducted in international waters between South Korea and Japan. The drills brought together destroyers equipped with radar systems, with a scenario featuring a virtual target.

North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons are banned by the United Nations. The council will meet on Thursday to discuss Pyongyang’s missile launch.