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America declared itself ready to “fight tonight” as a nuclear stand-off with North Korea threatened to escalate.

As tensions ratcheted up with dictator Kim Jong-un’s regime, the US air force published photographs of two B-1B bombers taking part in a 10-hour mission with jets from South Korea and Japan.

President Donald Trump has threatened to unleash “fire and fury like the world has never seen” on North Korea.

In apparent retaliation to his rhetoric, the rogue state said it was “carefully examining” plans to attack the tiny Pacific island of Guam, a US territory which hosts an air base, and create an “enveloping fire” in the region.

Today the island’s inhabitants woke to find themselves in the crosshairs of the spiralling war of words. Governor Eddie Calvo released a two-minute video message to residents, telling them: “I want to ensure that we are prepared for any eventuality.”

He claimed there had been no change in the threat level but added: “I have reached out to the White House this morning.

"An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States. They have said that America will be defended.”

The bellicose tone carried on in a US air force press release. Quoting one of the pilots with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-1Bs, it said: “How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight.”

The bombers flew in the vicinity of Kyushu, Japan, the East China Sea, and the Korean peninsula, demonstrating the solidarity of the allies as they prepare to “defend against provocative and destabilising actions in the Pacific theatre”, according to the release.

The Korean People’s Army said North Korea’s own strike plan would be “put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment” if Kim makes a decision. Pyongyang has claimed the US would “pay a price” for championing further United Nations economic sanctions on North Korea.

Analyst Bruce Klingner, a former CIA agent, said Mr Trump’s “bombastic” threat is stoking fears the US is considering a preventative attack on North Korea.

“It seems to be language written by the same speech writers as that for Kim Jong-un,” he told the BBC. “It’s over the top. I don’t think it’s helpful in trying to generate international support for the US.”

He dismissed claims that Kim is capable of a spontaneous nuclear attack on the US, describing both he and his late father as having the ability to act rationally despite being “brutal dictators”.

“I would disagree with those who say that Kim Jong-un is crazy and that he may wake up some morning and initiate a nuclear attack on the United States,” Mr Klingner added.

A holiday island, Guam has a population of 160,000 and is home to some 7,000 American service personnel.

It serves as a strategic military base for the US, with almost a third of its land controlled by Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam. The 210-square mile island is about 2,100 miles away from North Korea. Its proximity to the Korean peninsula, Japan and China has made it an essential military outpost.

All of its inhabitants are US citizens by birth. Although it is not technically a state, it does have a seat in the US House of Representatives.

Guam’s homeland security adviser George Charfauros issued a statement today urging islanders to remain calm. He said he was working with military officials to “monitor the recent events surrounding North Korean and their threatening actions”.

Benjamin Cruz, the speaker of the Guam Legislature, said: “We’re just praying that the United States and the defence system we have here is sufficient enough to protect us.” He said the threat was “very disconcerting”, adding: “It forces us to pause and to say a prayer for the safety of our people.”

The Washington Post, citing a Pentagon intelligence report, has said North Korea has produced a miniature nuclear warhead that could fit in the intercontinental missiles it has been testing.

The development brings the country dangerously close to its goal of creating a nuclear weapon that can hit targets in the US. Alaska, Hawaii and California would be at an especially high risk if Kim’s scientists finish the weapons and North Korea decides to use them.

The simmering feud between the two countries was stoked yesterday when Mr Trump, speaking at his Bedminster Golf Club in New Jersey, warned that North Korea “best not make any more threats to the United States”.

He said Kim “has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and as I said they will be met with fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before”.

In the UK, the Foreign Office said: “We will continue to work with the US and our international partners to maintain pressure on North Korea and counter the security threat posed by its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

“We have been consistently clear and forthright in our condemnation of North Korea’s destabilising and illegal behaviour, including through support for UN Security Council resolutions to bring in sanctions that will limit North Korea’s ability to pursue its nuclear weapons programme.”

Mr Klingner said success in curbing Iran’s nuclear capability should show the US administration that pressure and diplomacy are still worth pursuing and can be effective.

“The US, the EU and the UN had far greater sanctions and pressure on Iran than they ever have had on North Korea,” he said. “I think there is far more we can do on the pressure option and we should exhaust those opportunities before initiating a military option.”

Victor Gao, director of the China National Association of International Studies, said any military intervention would be complicated by the fact a treaty signed by China to defend North Korea still exists, albeit in an “uncertain status”.

He urged Donald Trump to scale back on threats. He said: “To do a war on the [Korean] peninsula is the wrong thing and mankind will suffer the consequences.

"We urge Donald Trump to refrain from rhetoric as well as real actions of war. I would urge President Donald Trump to be a responsible leader and use diplomacy and dialogue.”