U.S. bombers flew over South Korea on Tuesday in a show of force just days after North Korea’s fifth and maybe most powerful nuclear weapons test.
The U.S. Air Force flew two powerful, battled-tested B-1 bombers over South Korea, according to CNN.
The B-1 bombers took off from Anderson Air Force Base in Guam before regulating low-level flights in an area of the Osan Air Base near Seoul, which is located just 75 miles from the North Korean border, ABC News reported. The bombers were accompanied by the F-15K, a Korean fighter aircraft, and the F-16, a U.S. fighter aircraft.
U.S. Pacific Commander Adm. Harry Harris referred to these flights as demonstrating “solidarity between South Korea, the United States, and Japan” in their defense against North Korea, Business Insider reported.
“The United States and the Republic of Korea are taking actions every day to strengthen our Alliance and respond to North Korea’s continued aggressive behavior,” General Vincent Brooks said in a news release. “Today’s demonstration provides just one example of the full range of military capabilities in the deep resources of this strong alliance to provide and strengthen extended deterrence. The Alliance military forces remain ready to meet mutual defense obligations against threats to the security of the Korean Peninsula and the region.”
North Korea tested its nuclear weapons Thursday, which showed “it had a nuclear warhead that could be mounted on ballistic missiles,” which gives U.S. allies a reason to be wary based on the threat that this poses for U.S. bases in South Korea, Japan and Guam, CNN noted.
“North Korea’s nuclear test is a dangerous escalation and poses an unacceptable threat,” Brooks said in a statement on Tuesday. “The United States has an unshakable commitment to defend allies in the region and will take necessary steps to do so, including operations like this one today.”
President Obama issued a statement, calling North Korea’s actions “provocative and destabilizing,” and assuring that the U.S. has an “unshakeable commitment” in defending its allies, ABC News noted.
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