American bombers will fly over the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, a move likely to antagonise North Korea.

Pyongyang has regularly denounced joint military drills between the United States and South Korea as acts of aggression, characterising them as preludes to an invasion.

North Korea warned that a mass air force drill this week would push the world to “the brink of nuclear war”.

Just as this is not the first time North Korea has threatened retaliation for military exercises, it's not unique for America to deploy sophisticated aircraft amid North Korean belligerence.

Earlier this summer, with Pyongyang vowing to destroy the US territory of Guam after Donald Trump threatened North Korea with “fire and fury”, B1-Bs conducted joint drills with Japan in airspace near the Korean peninsula.

The latest assertion of military might contrasts with a diplomatic effort unfolding on the Korean Peninsula this week, as United Nations envoy Jeffrey Feltman pays a rare visit to the increasingly isolated nation.

Mr Feltman’s visit follows North Korea’s latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. The projectile soared higher than any previous attempt, according to military experts, before crashing into the sea near Japan.

North Korea claimed it now has the power to strike anywhere in the United States.

Global condemnation followed, with Trump administration officials reiterating that they were prepared to take military action if diplomacy failed.

North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Show all 13 1 /13 North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Pyongyang residents react after the news of the successful launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Images North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un signing an order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic missile KRT via AP Video North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch A news broadcast displays Kim Jong Un's signed document AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing Kim Jong Un's order to test-fire the new inter-continental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Images North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Residents react after the document signing AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Pyongyang residents celebrate Kim Jong Un's announcement AFP/Getty North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Cheering Pyongyang residents react AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch To counter North Korea's missile test, South Korea fired missiles into the East Sea The Defence Ministry/Yonhap via REUTERS North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The Hyunmu-2 missiles firing during the drill South Korean Defense Ministry vi North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The exercise was carried out in an attempt to counter Kim Jong Un's order South Korea Defense Ministry via AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The South Korean army continue to carry out military exercises AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Where K-9 self-propelled howitzers were taking part in a drill Rex Features North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch US soldiers are also present in the border city of Paju AFP/Getty Images

After urging other nations to sever all ties with North Korea, America’s ambassador to the United Nations, Hikki Haley, warned that “the North Korean regime will be utterly destroyed” in the event of war.

China, seen as crucial to dampening the Korean threat because of its geographic proximity and trading ties with the North, has discouraged such bellicose talk, saying both sides are increasing the risk of conflict.