North Korea fired more than 10 ballistic missiles toward the waters off its eastern coast, days after testing cruise missiles from a new warship and adding to global geopolitical risks that were already mounting after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

State media KCNA, in a report dated March 15, said leader Kim Jong Un presided over a drill involving 12 600mm-caliber multiple rocket launchers and two artillery companies a day earlier. Kim said following the drill that the weapons are means of “deterring war” but that North Korea would use them as means of a “massive, destructive strike” in response to provocation or an attack.

“As I have said several times, if this weapon is used, the opponent’s military infrastructure within its striking range can never survive,” Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA, adding the launch would show enemies the power of North Korea’s tactical nuclear weapons.

The launch coincided with annual U.S.-South Korea military exercises that are running from March 9 to March 19, drills that Pyongyang has long denounced as rehearsals for invasion. It also comes in a week when the U.S. reportedly moved some air-defense assets out of South Korea to support operations related to the conflict involving Iran.

Escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula come at an already volatile moment in global geopolitics, with Washington using military force against governments it views as hostile, including the military operation to capture Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and the strike alongside Israel targeting Iran.

North Korean leader Kim has slammed U.S. President Donald Trump’s move against Tehran as a “shameless” act. In an abrupt move this week, North Korea also scrapped the annual Pyongyang International Marathon for this year, shelving one of the country’s few events open to foreign visitors.

Saturday’s drill came days after North Korea conducted a cruise missile test from its latest warship, which Kim and his daughter attended.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies had been tracking North Korea’s launch preparations and shared related information closely with Japan, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South Korea is maintaining a combined defense posture with the U.S. while closely monitoring the North’s activities and retaining the capability to respond decisively to any provocation.

While KCNA did not provide further details on how many rounds its launchers fired, South Korea’s joint chief said earlier that it detected more than 10 ballistic missiles that were launched from the Sunan area near Pyongyang toward waters off the eastern coast on Saturday at about 1:20 p.m. local time.

KCNA said the rockets hit an island target off North Korea’s eastern coast about 364.4 kilometers (226.4 miles) away.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said North Korea is unlikely to take direct military action in response to the U.S. redeployment of missile defense assets from the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East.

“Instead, Pyongyang will aim propaganda at aggravating divisions in Seoul over the strategic flexibility of U.S. forces and the legality of Trump’s military action against Iran,” Easley said.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said that while he opposed the U.S.’s redeployment decision, it would not seriously weaken Seoul’s ability to defend itself against nuclear-armed North Korea.

With a military that’s less modern than South Korea’s and nuclear capabilities far below those of the U.S., exploiting political divisions remains one of North Korea’s most effective ways to strengthen its position on the peninsula, he added.

South Korea’s National Security Office said the missile launches constituted a provocation that violates United Nations Security Council resolutions and urged Pyongyang to immediately halt such actions. With the U.S.-South Korea drills underway, the NSO instructed relevant agencies to maintain heightened vigilance and full readiness.

Multiple missiles on Saturday landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to Japan’s defense ministry.

Tensions have risen in recent weeks as Pyongyang renewed calls for Washington to recognize it as a nuclear state during its first Workers’ Party congress in five years. Yonhap News reported earlier that Trump remains hopeful of meeting Kim during an upcoming trip to China, citing comments by South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok following a meeting at the White House.

The prime minister told Trump that Lee views the U.S. president as the only leader capable of resolving tensions on the Korean Peninsula, according to the report. Last month, Kim Jong Un said relations with Washington could improve if the U.S. recognizes North Korea as a nuclear power.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gave instructions to gather information on the launch and ensure safety of aircraft and vessels, according to a statement from her office.

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(With assistance from Heesu Lee and Cat Barton.)

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