The US is ready to launch a pre-emptive strike against North Korea if Pyongyang presses ahead with another round of nuclear weapons tests, it has been reported.
Citing intelligence sources, NBC claimed that the US would be willing to use conventional weapons.
The intelligence officials said that the US has positioned two destroyers capable of shooting Tomahawk cruise missiles in the region, one just 300 miles from the North Korean nuclear test site.
American heavy bombers are also positioned in Guam to attack North Korea should it be necessary, and earlier this week, the Pentagon announced that the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group was being diverted to the area.
On Wednesday, North Korea said it would "hit the US first" with a nuclear weapon should there be any signs of US strikes.
