HONOLULU — America’s latest missile defense test comes amid continuing tensions with North Korea over its missile program.

A short-range ballistic missile slated to be fired late Thursday from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai was to be shot down by a three-stage interceptor missile fired from the USS Hopper.
The test conducted by the Navy and the Missile Defense Agency will mark the 23rd firing by ships equipped with the Aegis ballistic missile defense system.
On July 4, North Korea violated U.N. Security Council resolutions by firing seven ballistic missiles several hundred miles into waters off its east coast.
There had been speculation North Korea might launch a long-range missile toward Hawaii, about 4,500 miles away, to coincide with the Independence Day holiday.