UPDATE - US detects North Korean missile launch

ADDS PENTAGON DETAILS; CHANGES HEADLINE

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. detected a North Korean missile launch Tuesday with early indications pointing to another intercontinental ballistic missile test.

The missile was detected at 1:17 p.m. Eastern time (0617GMT), according to the Pentagon.

"The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan," spokesman Col. Robert Manning said in a statement.

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile did not pose a threat to North America, U.S. territories, or its allies, Manning added.

"Our commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation," he said.

President Donald Trump was briefed on the situation while the missile "was still in the air", White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote on Twitter. He is expected to deliver remarks later Tuesday.

The launch ends a months-long halt of North Korea’s ballistic missile tests. The last test, of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Sept. 15, flew over Japan before crashing into the Pacific Ocean.

*Kasim Ileri contributed to this report