WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis warned North Korea in stark terms on Sunday that any attack on the U.S. or its allies would be met with a massive military response, in comments that came after a national-security briefing with President Donald Trump called in response to Pyongyang’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test. “We have many military options and the president wanted to be briefed on each one of them,” said Mattis in brief comments Sunday afternoon, accompanied by Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "The two leaders condemned North Korea's continued destabilising and provocative actions, confirmed the two countries' ironclad mutual defence commitments, and pledged to continue close cooperation," the said in a readout of the call.During the call, Trump reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to defending its homeland, territories, and allies using the full range of diplomatic, conventional, and nuclear capabilities at its disposal.Earlier in the day, US Defence Secretary James Mattis warned of "massive military response" to any threats from"We made clear that we have the ability to defend ourselves and our allies, and Japan, from any attack. WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday shot back at North Korea’s latest nuclear provocation with a blunt threat, saying the U.S. will answer any North Korean threat with a “massive military response — a response both effective and overwhelming.” While he said America does not seek the “total annihilation” of the North, he added somberly, “We have many options to do so.”

In a brief statement to reporters outside the White House, Mattis said the international community is unified in demanding the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and said the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, should know that Washington’s commitment to Japan and South Korea is unshakeable. Mattis warned that any attacks on the U.S., Japan or South Korea “will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming.”

Mattis urged the regime to heed calls from the U.S. and other members of the United Nations Security Council to step back its nuclear escalation, “because we are not looking to the total annihilation of a country, namely North Korea, but as I said, we have many options to do so.”

Earlier, President Trump denounced North Korea as a hostile “rogue nation,” while also lashing out at China and South Korea, which he says have done too little to restrain the Pyongyang regime.
U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis says in a statement “Any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam or our allies, will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming".