The United States further intensified what has been described as one of its largest-ever aerial military exercises on Wednesday by flying a B-1B supersonic bomber over South Korea’s eastern coast, where it conducted bombing drills that North Korea warned are “simulating an all-out war.”

“U.S. imperialists are staging an ultra-precision strike drill with high intensity just like in a real war focused on ‘removing’ the DPRK’s state leadership and core facilities by massively introducing the ultramodern stealth fighters.”
—North KoreaAccording to Reuters, “the bomber flew from the Pacific U.S.-administered territory of Guam and joined U.S. F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters.” The supersonic bomber was just one of 230 aircraft set to be deployed over the next five days.

The massive show of force—which came just a week after North Korea successfully tested its most powerful missile yet—was part of a joint exercise with South Korea that takes place annually. This year’s simulations, however, have taken on new significance, as U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have continued to trade barbs and exchange threats of nuclear destruction.

As Common Dreams reported on Monday, North Korea denounced the military exercises—formally titled “Vigilant Ace”—as a “major provocation” that pushes the world “to the brink of nuclear war.”