Top officials in the United States reportedly warned North Korea that it is running out of time.
The threat of a North Korean nuclear attack is continuously growing after the country launched another missile on September 15. So now, United States is reportedly "getting ready to play hardball" or in other words, US may be forced to launch a strike against the North Korea's nuclear program, in order to defend the US and its allies.
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley reportedly told CNN that she is comfortable to hand over the situation to Defense Secretary James Mattis and the Pentagon.
"We have pretty much exhausted all the things we could do at the Security Council," she reportedly said. "I'm perfectly happy kicking this over to General Mattis because he has plenty of military options."
When Haley was asked about Donald Trump's remark about US responding "fire and fury," the ambassador said that it was not an empty threat.
"If North Korea keeps on with this reckless behavior, if the United States has to defend itself, or defend its allies in any way, North Korea will be destroyed," she told CNN.
National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster also echoed Haley's sentiments and said that it is now time to "stop kicking the can down the road because the United States is running out of road."
"This regime is so close now to threatening the United States and others with a nuclear weapon, that we really have to move with a great sense of urgency on sanctions, on diplomacy and preparing, if necessary, a military option," he said.
Adding more to the tension, North Korea is reportedly developing a nuclear-powered submarine.
