North Korea fired 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday evening, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. The missiles were reportedly launched shortly after 5 p.m. local time, and originated from the “Pyongyang area.” The launches come amid a rise in tensions between North and South Korea as the latter conducts its annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military drills with the United States. 

The launches also come after two recent developments pertaining to geopolitical relations between the United States and North Korea. First, President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that the U.S. was cutting back the annual joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise typically runs for 10 days each year. However, Trump decided to shorten it to five days. The drills began on Monday and are now scheduled to conclude on Friday, August 21.