North Korea has conducted its second ballistic missile test in days, launching several short-range missiles into the waters east of the Korean Peninsula just hours before Americans head to the polls for the presidential election. This provocation follows a prior test of an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) linked to alleged North Korean troop deployments in Russia to support its war in Ukraine. South Korea, Japan, and the US recently held joint military drills in response, further heightening tensions in the region. Experts note that North Korea’s military actions reflect ongoing defiance against international pressure.