Dana White, chief spokesperson of the Defense Department, said in a statement released Saturday the mission is a response to North Korea’s recent activities and aims to caution the country that President Donald Trump may exercise appropriate military action.
The Lancer bombers flew from Guam while the Eagle fighter escorts flew from Okinawa, Japan.
White noted the mission operationally covered the farthest north of the DMZ that a U.S. aircraft has flown off North Korea’s seaboard in the 21st century.