N.Korea Fires Missiles After U.S. Bomber Deployment

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea from the vicinity of Sunan in Pyongyang around 11:50 p.m. Wednesday night.

The official [North] Korean Central News Agency on Thursday morning said the firing was part of a "tactical nuclear strike drill" responding to the deployment of U.S. B-1B bombers on the Korean Peninsula.

KCNA said the People's Army staged "a tactical nuclear strike drill simulating scorched-earth strikes at major command centers and operational airfields of the [South Korean] military gangsters."

It denounced ongoing joint air exercise conducted by the U.S. and South Korea while the B-1B bombers were deployed, which it claimed was tantamount to plans for a pre-emptive nuclear attack against it.

The People's Army said that it "fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles in a northeastern direction from the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport and accurately executed the nuclear strike mission by detonating them in mid-air at an altitude of 400 m above the target."

It added the purpose was "to send a clear message to the enemies."