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North Korea warned Thursday that its military has been cleared to attack the U.S. using “smaller, lighter and diversified” nuclear weapons, while the U.S. said it will strengthen regional protection by deploying a missile defense system to Guam.

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or North Korean army says it has final approval to launch ‘merciless’ nuclear strike on the U.S. Back to video

Despite the intense rhetoric, analysts do not expect a nuclear attack by North Korea, which knows the move could trigger a destructive, suicidal war. Experts believe Pyongyang does not yet have the ability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles, but its other nuclear capabilities aren’t fully known.

The strident warning from Pyongyang is the latest in a series of escalating threats from North Korea, which has railed against joint U.S. and South Korean military exercises taking place in South Korea and has expressed anger over tightened sanctions for its February nuclear test.

For a second day Thursday, North Korean border authorities denied entry to South Koreans who manage jointly run factories in the North Korean city of Kaesong. A North Korean government-run committee threatened to pull out North Korean workers from Kaesong as well.