US bombers deployed in Guam against North Korea's possible nuclear test

Washington: The Pentagon announced that bombers had been deployed to Guam island to signal that the United States stands with its friends and allies to respond to any potential provocation. Although not directly mentioned, local media said the US deployment was against the possible nuclear test by North Korea and to reassure Taiwan. Meanwhile, news that the US was modernising its bombers by underlining the threat of China was released four days ago.

South Korea’s military is warning that North Korea, which has continually done ballistic missile tests for the past few months, may soon conduct a nuclear test. North Korea has assembled the required military for a nuclear test. It is claimed that North Korea’s upcoming trial would be the biggest and the most challenging to the US compared to the previous nuclear test. North Korea had earlier threatened to launch a nuclear bomb attack on the farthest city in the US, as the US had challenged North Korea’s security.

Against this background, the US has increased its military deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. A few days ago, the USS Ronald Reagan warship conducted military exercises in South Korea with its fleet. Besides, before that, the news of the arrival of US F-35 fighter jets at the South Korean airfield came to light. Moreover, the fleet of advanced bomber planes of the US B-1B has now entered the island of Guam. This marks the second deployment of US bombers to Guam in the last ten months.

The deployment of US B-1B bombers to Guam will be short-term, the Pentagon has said. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder noted that the deployment was done to reassure our allies and partner countries. Brigadier General Ryder informed that these bombers would conduct different exercises in the Indo-Pacific region with the fighter planes of the US’s allies. Ryder avoided mentioning the North Korean threat directly. But local media said the bombers were being deployed as a warning to North Korea, who fired a missile over Japan’s airspace a few days ago and raised tensions in the region.

Also, US military analysts have claimed that the US bombers deployed to send a message to China, who had threatened the unification of Taiwan, have been helpful. Besides, the United States had earlier deployed bombers on Guam Island and conducted an Elephant Walk of advanced fighter jets to warn China. A US aircraft carrier had sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Moreover, there also have been reports that the US is modernising its 60-year-old B-52 bombers by underlining the threat of China.