SEOUL, South Korea — The United States flew a long-range bomber in a trilateral exercise with South Korea and Japan on Sunday in response to North Korea’s latest missile tests. new intercontinental ballistic missile The South Korean military said the missile was designed to hit the US mainland.

North Korea tested on Thursday the newly developed Hwasong-19 ICBM, It flew higher and remained in the air longer than other missiles it had fired. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called it an “appropriate military action” to deal with external security threats posed by his rivals.

flew to the USA on Sunday B-1B bomber In the statement made by the South Korean General Staff, it was stated that training with South Korean and Japanese warplanes near the Korean Peninsula showed the determination and readiness of the three countries to respond to North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile programs.

triple air training In the statement, it was stated that South Korea, the USA and Japan came second this year.

The United States often responds to North Korea’s major missile tests by temporarily deploying some of its powerful military assets, such as long-range bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines, to and near the Korean Peninsula. North Korea often responds to such US actions with anger, characterizing them as part of a US-led plan to invade the North and conducting additional weapons tests.

The United States has flown B-1B bombers over or near the Korean Peninsula four times this year, according to the South Korean military. A B-1B is capable of carrying a large conventional weapons payload.

Thursday’s Hwasong-19 test, North Korea’s first ICBM test in almost a year, showed progress in North Korea’s missile program. But many experts say North Korea still has some technological challenges to master to obtain functioning ICBMs capable of launching a nuclear strike on the U.S. mainland. Experts say the Hwasong-19 shown in photos and videos on North Korean state media appears too large to be used in combat.

The ICBM test was seen as an effort to attract American attention ahead of this week’s US presidential election and respond to international condemnation expressed by North Korea. Thousands of soldiers are being sent to Russia Observers say they moved to support his war against Ukraine.