Associated Press

North Korea launched approximately 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters, prompting South Korea to strengthen surveillance and coordinate with the United States and Japan. South Korea’s national security council condemned the launches as violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The tests came after the U.S. and South Korea reduced the scale and duration of joint Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises at President Donald Trump’s direction. Kim Yo Jong rejected the move as insufficient while indicating that relations between Kim Jong Un and Trump remain positive, suggesting North Korea may await larger U.S. concessions before resuming talks.

Hundreds of thousands gathered in Tehran for the multiday funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a February airstrike during the opening phase of the war. The ceremony, marked by calls for revenge against the United States and Israel, strengthened the position of his successor, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as Iran leverages control over the Strait of Hormuz in ongoing negotiations with Washington. Iran’s chief negotiator warned the United Kingdom and France over potential joint patrols in the waterway. The funeral coincided with the U.S. July 4 anniversary, drawing pointed rhetoric from both sides. Khamenei’s body will travel through several cities before burial in Mashhad, with widespread shutdowns and continued mourning ceremonies across the country.