In response to North Korea's latest missile launch, the U.S. Air Force flew two B-1B bombers accompanied by South Korean and Japanese jet fighters over the Korean Peninsula on Saturday.
The U.S. Pacific Command said the mission was in "direct response" to North Korea's "escalatory launch" of intercontinental ballistic missiles July 3 and July 28, reports VOA News.
"North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," said General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, U.S. Pacific Air Forces commander.
"Diplomacy remains the lead; however, we have a responsibility to our allies and our nation to showcase our unwavering commitment while planning for the worse-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.
Meanwhile, President U.S. Donald Trump blasted China for its inaction against North Korea following Pyongyang's latest missile launch.
He said in a series of tweets, "I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!(sic)."
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The Pentagon confirmed that North Korea on Friday launched its second flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The launch came a day after the 64th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War.
The anniversary had led to increased concerns the regime planned another test to fire another intercontinental ballistic missile.
Earlier this month on July 4, Pyongyang had also conducted its first successful test of a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14, which it said was a "gift" to "American b******s" on their Independence Day.