Following North Korea's missile test on Friday, the United States have flown two bomber planes over the Korean peninsula.
The B-1B bombers were sent after the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said that China, Japan and South Korea needed to do more after Pyongyang's latest announcement.
The secretive state, led by dictator Kim Jong-un, tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday which landed in Japanese waters, reports the Guardian.
Haley tweeted on Saturday that the US had 'done talking about North Korea' and stated it was not only a problem for them alone to tackle.
She added that 'China is aware they must act' and also called on Japan and South Korea to assist.
China has condemned the missile launches after it broke UN security council resolutions which are designed to restrict North Korea's nuclear programmes.
Its foreign ministry added: "China hopes all parties act with caution, to prevent tensions from continuing to escalate."
US president Donald Trump, and China's president, Xi Jinping, have already met over the matter, with the former expressing his hope that China would use its economic strength to reign in North Korea's nuclear plans.
However, on Saturday, Trump spoke of his disappointment with China, stating that it has done 'nothing for us with North Korea'.
The B-1B flight was a response to the Hwasong-14 rocket test on July 3, according to the Pentagon, although it is likely the more recent launch would have only strengthened the US stance.
Credit: PA
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The bombers took off from a US airbase in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise.
The Pacific air forces commander for the US, Terrence J O'Shaughnessy, said: "North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability.
"If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing."
Credit: PA
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On Sunday, the US added that it had successfully shot down a medium-range missile in the latest test of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system.
These tests were planned before North Korea's latest actions and involved medium-range missiles, opposed to the longer-range missiles as tested by the dictatorship.
The concern is evident for all who watch North Korea's actions. Aidan Foster-Carter, honorary North Korean specialist at Leeds University, told LADbible that the regular missile tests are a worrying factor.
"It is becoming a very rapid, very regular and somewhat alarming programme from North Korea," he said.
"It's a situation that cries out for full diplomacy, action or meetings of some kind. Military action is not the answer."
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Source: The Guardian
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: South Korea, united states, Donald Trump, Japan, North Korea
