THE United States has flown two supersonic bombers over the Korean Peninsula in a show of force against North Korea following the country’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.
The B-1 bombers were escorted by South Korean fighter jets as they performed a low-pass over an air base near the South Korean capital of Seoul before returning to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, according to a statement by the US Pacific Air Forces.
It said the mission was a response to consecutive missile tests by North Korea this month.
Analysts say flight data from the North’s second ICBM test on Friday night showed Pyongyang’s weapons are now in range of a broader part of mainland United States, including Los Angeles and Chicago.
“North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability,” remarked Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J O’Shaughnessy.
“Diplomacy remains the lead. However, we have a responsibility to our allies and our nation to showcase our unwavering commitment while planning for the worst-case scenario.
“If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing,” he added.
The United States often sends powerful war planes in times of heightened tensions with North Korea. B-1 bombers have been sent to South Korea for flyovers several times this year in response to the North’s missile tests and the death of a US college student last month after he was released by North Korea in a coma.
The Hwasong-14 ICBM, which the North first tested on July 4, is the highlight of several new weapons systems Pyongyang launched this year.
They include an intermediate range missile that North Korea says is capable of hitting Alaska and Hawaii and a solid-fuel mid-range missile, which analysts say can be fired faster than liquid-fuel missiles.
A North Korean state television announcement at the time said the missile was capable of hitting targets anywhere in the world.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here