US, Seoul and Japan conduct bombing drills over Korean peninsula, sending ‘solidarity’ message to Pyongyang
The exercises involved US B-1 and stealth bombers, as well as Japanese and South Korean fighter jets
South Korean and Japanese jets joined exercises with two supersonic US B-1B bombers above and near the Korean peninsula on Thursday, two days after North Korea sharply raised tension by firing a missile over Japan.
The drills, involving four US stealth F-35B jets as well as South Korean and Japanese fighter jets, came at the end of annual US-South Korea military exercises focused mainly on computer simulations.
“North Korea’s actions are a threat to our allies, partners and homeland, and their destabilising actions will be met accordingly,” said General Terrence J O’Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces Commander, who made an unscheduled visit to Japan.
This complex mission clearly demonstrates our solidarity with our allies ... to defend against this common regional threat
North Korea has been working to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States and has recently threatened to land missiles near the US Pacific territory of Guam.