Story highlights The US Missile Defense Agency called the test "a key milestone"

The test comes amid heightened tensions between North Korea and the US

Washington (CNN) The United States conducted a successful missile defense test that intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile off the coast of Hawaii early Wednesday morning, according to a statement from the US Missile Defense Agency.

The Standard Missile-6, built by major US defense contracter Raytheon, intercepted the missile target at sea in its final seconds of flight after being fired from the USS John Paul Jones.

The test comes amid heightened tensions between North Korea and the US. Earlier this week, an intermediate-range missile, identified by the North Koreans as a Hwasong-12, was fired over Japan.

A US official, however, told CNN the test had been planned for a long time and before North Korea's latest provocation.

The agency's director said the test was "a key milestone."

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