North Korea tests high-thrust engine for missile capable of striking US mainland

North Korea conducted a test of a high-thrust, solid-fuel engine under the observation of leader Kim Jong-un, with state media reporting he characterized it as advancing the country's strategic military capability. The test represents a significant step toward developing missiles capable of delivering multiple warheads to the continental United States, according to analysts tracking the program. Solid-fuel engines are more mobile and harder to detect than liquid-fuel alternatives, making them operationally advantageous for a nuclear-armed state seeking to improve its strike capability. The development underscores North Korea's ongoing effort to expand its intercontinental ballistic missile arsenal despite international sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration.