AMERICAN and Japanese warplanes flew side by side as they conducted military drills - just hours before Kim Jong-un is expected to order another nuke test.

The fighters jets flew from the US military base in Guam in a show of force to war-mongering Kim.

9 US and Japanese warplanes carried out drills this morning ahead of an expected North Korea missile test Credit: Reuters

9 Japanese F-15s and US Blackjack bombers took part in the sorties from the American base on Guam Credit: Reuters

9 South Korea has also been ramping up itS air defences on the North Korean border Credit: EPA

9 The THAAD air defence system was pictured being prepared yesterday Credit: EPA

North Korea's dictator is believed to be preparing a missile test for as early as today - the 69th anniversary of his nation's creation.

Past missile tests have often coincided with significant national anniversaries.

International pressure on Kim's regime is now at boiling point after it fired a rocket over Japan before testing a hydrogen bomb last week.

Now he is feared to be readying another rocket launch.

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State media today said the country would continue its nuclear build-up.

An editorial in mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun read: "No matter how the US and its puppets kick up a ruckus, our republic, which has a strong military and the most powerful Juche bombs and weapons, and whose territory has all turned into fortresses, and all its people armed to the teeth, will remain an eternal iron-clad citadel."

A top North Korea official also tried to reassure Europe yesterday that Europe was not in its firing line.

Responding to the concerns of French President Emmanuel Macron over the nuke programme, foreign office spokesman Ri Tok-Son said it was "preposterous" to think Pyongyang might attack Europe in the event of war.

9 North Korean troops on the border with the South were pictured watching the 38th parallel today Credit: Reuters

9 Tensions are high after the Kim Jong-un ordered a hydrogen bomb test last week Credit: EPA

9 The explosion was recorded on the richter scale and confirmed the rogue state's nuclear programme is more advanced than previously thought Credit: AP:Associated Press

9 Kim has been present a previous missile tests and is seen inspecting a Hwasong rocket Credit: Universal News (Europe)

9 Kim has invested heavily in his nation's weapons programme since he took power in 2011 Credit: PEN NEWS

He added: "They busied themselves ... making preposterous remarks like 'the nuclear missile of North Korea are military means that can strike Europe'.

"It is ridiculous to say that the nuclear weapons of the DPRK, the deterrent force against the nuclear threat and blackmail of the US, can aim at Europe.

"If nuclear weapons are such bad things, then France should first give up its nuclear weapons since it is not under anyone's nuclear threat."

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