Israel's Foreign Ministry has said it viewed Monday's nuclear test by North Korea with "extreme gravity." The regime in Pyongyang announced that it had conducted a successful underground test-firing of a nuclear weapon, as well as tests on a short-range missile hours later, according to reports. "Furthermore, Israel is concerned with North Korea's nuclear proliferation, which has negative implications in this region," the statement by Israel's Foreign Ministry said.
"Israel expects the international community to respond decisively to the nuclear detonation by North Korea, so as to transmit an unambiguous message to other countries." The statement said North Korea was "party to the global concern caused by this event."
Monday's nuclear test was similar in power to the atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki at the end of World War II. The test apparently produced an earth tremor registering 4.7 on the Richter scale, the US Geological Survey said. The test was "a grave concern to all nations," US president Barack Obama said. "We are aware of the reports of a nuclear test by North Korea," a US State Department official said. "We are consulting with our allies. Once we have established the facts, we will have more to say." The Obama administration has indicated that it wants to make progress on containing North Korea's nuclear program.