UK ‘preparing for war with North Korea’

News of Britain's preparedness comes days after Trump took to Twitter to hint at military action against NKorea

British defence officials have reportedly been instructed to draw up plans in preparation for potential conflict with North Korea.

North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests in recent weeks and launched two missiles over Japan, increasing already fraught tensions between the US and its allies.



One military scenario could see the UK’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth brought into early service, reports The Independent.

"We have plenty of ships to send – the Type-45 destroyers, the Type-23 frigates," a senior Whitehall source told the newspaper. “Britain’s new aircraft carrier could be pressed into service early if things turn south."

News of Britain's preparedness comes days after US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to hint at military action against Kim Jong-un's regime.

The US leader claimed that “only one thing will work” against North Korea.

Trump also lambasted previous US presidential administrations’ for negotiating with North Korea.

"Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years," he tweeted saying.

"Agreements made and massive amounts of money paid hasn’t worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, making fools of US negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!”

Britain’s Defense Secretary Michael Fallon has spoken in recent weeks of “intensifying” nuclear dangers from Kim Jong-un’s regime. He called the country “reckless” and backed the use of nuclear weapons as a deterrent against aggressors.

Speaking to reporters at HM Naval Base Clyde last month, Mr Fallon said: “Today the nuclear dangers are intensifying from a reckless North Korea and increasingly aggressive Russia."

"Nuclear weapons remain the only credible way to deter the most extreme dangers, reminding any aggressor that the benefits of an attack would be vastly outweighed by the consequences," he added saying.

Stoltenberg also said North Korea’s “reckless behaviour is a global threat and requires a global response and that of course also includes Nato”. He said the alliance is focused on how to contribute a peaceful solution.



War between North Korea and the US could now become “a real possibility” read a report by a respected defence think tank.

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)’s report, released last month, said a war between the two countries could be triggered by either side but would not be “surgical nor short”, and claimed the UK would be left with nothing more than a few hours to make a decision about its response.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said, "The UK has been clear that we are committed to achieving a peaceful diplomatic solution to the situation on the Korean peninsula."

This article originally appeared on The Independent.