North Korea: US cannot dodge ‘merciless strike’

North Korea on Sunday warned the U.S. it faces a “merciless strike” following “reckless behavior driving the situation into the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war.”

North Korea declared it has the military capacity to target the mainland U.S. as well as the U.S. territory of Guam in a strike the U.S. cannot “dodge,” according to CNN.

CNN reports the message was in the official government newspaper Rodong Sinmun.

The warning comes a day before the U.S. begins conducting annual military exercises with South Korea starting Monday. The Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises, a computer-simulated defensive exercise, run from Aug. 21 to Aug. 31, according to the Defense Department.

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Tensions between the U.S. and North Korea are already high.

The United Nations in a unanimous vote recently adopted new sanctions against North Korea.

North Korea responded to the new U.N. sanctions with increased aggression, escalating last Wednesday to a threat to attack waters near Guam.

Earlier this month, President Trump issued stern warnings to North Korea, saying the United States will respond with “fire, fury and, frankly, power” to such threats.

Both Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un are known for bombastic language in their communication.