Japanese Citizens Warned With A Text About North Korean Missiles

North Korea shot a ballistic missile directly over Japan early Tuesday in one of its most aggressive missile tests in years. Japanese citizens in the missile’s path were awoken by text warnings of the possible attack, and telling them to seek cover, according to the New York Times Tuesday.

The alerts were sent out just four minutes after the missile was launched. The missile, which flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, was in the air for roughly 1,700 miles before crashing down in the sea, 730 miles off of Japan’s coast. Japanese televisions programs signaled warnings and sirens blared out in Hokkaido.

“A missile launch across Japan is an outrageous act that poses an unprecedented, grave and serious threat, and significantly undermines the peace and security of the region,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in a statement.

President Donald Trump, who earlier this month threatened "fire and fury" against North Korea, reiterated his warning that “all options are on the table.”

North Korea was praised by Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently for a short pause in North Korea’s missile testing after aggressive testing of its long-range missile testing this year. North Korea has launched over 20 missiles since including two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) that can hit the continental U.S.

North Korea also has shown the ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead, according to U.S. intelligence.

On Saturday, North Korea launched three short-range missiles, one of which failed, demonstrating the new ability to shoot missiles from a multiple tube launcher vehicle. Tuesday’s missile was launched from near Pyongyang’s international airport, instead of the usual military launch site, according to the South Korean military. This could show that North Korea is making their missile program and launch abilities more mobile.

The missile was fired away from the U.S. territory of Guam, which North Korea threatened earlier this month. North Korean state-run media said that Kim Jong-Un was being presented with a plan to “bracket” the island with missiles, shooting them into the sea around Guam. North Korea did not follow through with the threat.

“We have lodged a firm protest to North Korea. We have requested an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council,” said Abe in a statement. The Security Council plans to meet Tuesday.

The U.S. is conducting regular joint-military exercises with South Korea, which typically elicits a harsh response from North Korea. The exercises are mostly online, according to the Washington Post, and prepare the country for the possibility of a North Korean invasion. Seoul, South Korea’s capital, is near the North Korean border and is a city with a population over 9 million.

South Korea responded with a bombing drill, showcasing its attack readiness.

"We are fully ready to counter any threat from North Korea and will make unwavering efforts to protect the lives of our people and the security of our nation," South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-Hyuck told CNN Tuesday.