North Korea is "carefully examining" a plan to launch a missile strike on a US Naval Base in the Pacific.
It comes after President Donald Trump threatened the regime with "fire and fury like the world has never seen".
Trump's dramatic attack came amid claims North Korea has produced a mini nuclear warhead to fit inside its missiles.
Arms folded angrily, President Trump said: "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States.
"They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.
"He has been very threatening beyond a normal statement."
North Korea is seriously considering a missile attack on Guam (Image: Rex Features)
Kim Jong Un's regime has been testing intercontinental ballistic missiles (Image: REUTERS)
"And as I said, they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before. Thank you."
Hours later a spokesman for the Korean People's Army said the strike plan will be "put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment" once Kim Jong Un makes a decision.
KCNA, Pyongyang's state-run news agency, also carried a statement from a different military official which said North Korea may carry out a pre-emptive operation if the US shows signs of provocation.
It comes after President Donald Trump threatened the regime with "fire and fury like the world has never seen".
Trump's dramatic attack came amid claims North Korea has produced a mini nuclear warhead to fit inside its missiles.
Arms folded angrily, President Trump said: "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States.
"They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.
"He has been very threatening beyond a normal statement."
North Korea is seriously considering a missile attack on Guam (Image: Rex Features)Kim Jong Un's regime has been testing intercontinental ballistic missiles (Image: REUTERS)"And as I said, they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before. Thank you."
Hours later a spokesman for the Korean People's Army said the strike plan will be "put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment" once Kim Jong Un makes a decision.
KCNA, Pyongyang's state-run news agency, also carried a statement from a different military official which said North Korea may carry out a pre-emptive operation if the US shows signs of provocation.
US Air Force B-1B Lancers in Guam (Image: US DOD/PACAF)
The US Naval Base in Guam is believed to be the target.
The 30-mile island is around 3,500km from North Korea and is the most important American military base in the region.
It is home to dozens of air craft carriers, fighter jets, bombers, submarines and destroyers.
The latest war of words began when North Korea warned the US would "pay the price for its crime... thousands of times" following a new wave of UN sanctions.
A North Korean missile launch shown in a photo from state media at the end of July (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump boarding Air Force One last week to begin his holiday (Image: AFP)
Earlier today the President, who is on a 17-day summer holiday, retweeted a Fox News report that said US spy satellites had detected North Korea moving its anti-ship cruise missiles.
And US analysts say North Korea has produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles, the Washington Post reported.
Intelligence officials said the development meant the secretive state had crossed the threshold to become a fully fledged nuclear power, according to the report.
Although North Korea has had nuclear capabilities for years, being able to transport a weapon thousands of miles would be a major step.
In a confidential assessment, seen by the newspaper, analysts said: "The IC [intelligence community] assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM-class missiles."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Image: AFP)
This month, the US ordered all American passport holders to leave North Korea by September 1.
Americans who want to travel to the secretive state will have to obtain special validation from now on.
US authorities stressed applications will only be granted in "limited circumstances".
On Saturday, the UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests that could slash the reclusive country's $3 billion annual export revenue by a third.
SOURCE: CLICK HERE
The US Naval Base in Guam is believed to be the target.
The 30-mile island is around 3,500km from North Korea and is the most important American military base in the region.
It is home to dozens of air craft carriers, fighter jets, bombers, submarines and destroyers.
The latest war of words began when North Korea warned the US would "pay the price for its crime... thousands of times" following a new wave of UN sanctions.
A North Korean missile launch shown in a photo from state media at the end of July (Image: Getty)Donald Trump boarding Air Force One last week to begin his holiday (Image: AFP)Earlier today the President, who is on a 17-day summer holiday, retweeted a Fox News report that said US spy satellites had detected North Korea moving its anti-ship cruise missiles.
And US analysts say North Korea has produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles, the Washington Post reported.
Intelligence officials said the development meant the secretive state had crossed the threshold to become a fully fledged nuclear power, according to the report.
Although North Korea has had nuclear capabilities for years, being able to transport a weapon thousands of miles would be a major step.
In a confidential assessment, seen by the newspaper, analysts said: "The IC [intelligence community] assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM-class missiles."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Image: AFP)This month, the US ordered all American passport holders to leave North Korea by September 1.
Americans who want to travel to the secretive state will have to obtain special validation from now on.
US authorities stressed applications will only be granted in "limited circumstances".
On Saturday, the UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests that could slash the reclusive country's $3 billion annual export revenue by a third.
SOURCE: CLICK HERE