US bombers fly over Korean Peninsula in show of force
THE United States flew two supersonic bombers over the Korean Peninsula yesterday in a show of force against North Korea, following the country’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.
The US also said it had conducted a successful test of a missile defence system located in Alaska.
The B-1B bombers were escorted by South Korean fighter jets as they performed a low-pass over an air base near Seoul, the South Korean capital, before returning to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the US Pacific Air Forces said. It said the mission was a response to North Korea’s two ICBM tests this month. Analysts say data from the North’s second test, on Friday, showed that a broader part of the mainland US, including Los Angeles and Chicago, is now in range of Pyongyang’s weapons.
Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said the US was “done talking about North Korea”. The US, Japan and South Korea had been expected to ask for the Security Council to meet today, but Ms Haley said there was “no point if it produces nothing of consequence”.