Mattis threatens military action against North Korea

Defense Secretary James Mattis threatened military action against North Korea on Sunday, hours after the regime claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb that can be fitted onto an intercontinental ballistic missile. “Any threat to the United States or its territories including Guam or our allies will be met with a massive military response—a response both effective and overwhelming,” Mattis said at the White House. “We are not looking to the total annihilation of a country—namely, North Korea. But as I said, we have many options to do so.”

He was speaking as President Donald Trump led a meeting of his national security team at the White to decide on action against North Korea after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. On the table was a package of economic measures including sanctions against countries trading with North Korea.