North Korea announced on Wednesday that it is working on a plan to test four intermediate range ballistic missiles that would fly toward U.S. territory of Guam. The announcement is the latest episode in the escalation of tensions between Pyongyang and Washington.
The rockets would hit the waters 18 to 25 miles away from Guam, an island in the Pacific which is home to a number of U.S. military bases.
North Korea’s state-run media KCNA said the country’s military would finalize the plans by mid-August and proceed with the test if Commander-in-Chief Kim Jong-un approves it.
The statement came a day after U.S. President Donald J. Trump threatened North Korea with “fire and fury” if it endangered the United States.
The chilling language has sent rippling echoes across the world, evoking memories of the nuclear threat during the Cold War.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to downplay the president’s remarks, leaving the door open for diplomatic negotiations to solve the standoff with North Korea.