US, Japan fire missiles in Philippines, targeting China
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- US launched a Tomahawk cruise missile from Tacloban City, striking a target 600 km away at Fort Magsaysay, demonstrating the Typhon system’s long‑range strike capability.
- Japan fired two Type 88 surface‑to‑ship missiles from Paoay, sinking a decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel 75 km offshore, with 140 Japanese troops involved.
- Philippines hosted about 17,000 troops from the US, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and the UK in the Balikatan exercises, highlighting its role as a forward missile platform.
- China condemned the drills as destabilizing and warned against Japan’s “remilitarization,” signaling heightened diplomatic tension.
- Marcos Jr remotely monitored the missile firings, underscoring the Philippine leadership’s endorsement of the expanded defense cooperation.
Why it matters: The US and Japan secure a forward‑deployed missile platform, while the Philippines’ exposure to Chinese retaliation rises as 17,000 allied troops operate from its bases, tightening the US‑China strategic squeeze.
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