North Korea on Tuesday warned the United States of “catastrophic consequences” if the war of words between the two nations were to continue, The Independent reported. A North Korean official accused the US of driving it towards “an extreme level of explosion” by conducting nuclear war drills.

Earlier on Tuesday, Pyongyang had fired short-range ballistic missile over Japan’s main island territory, Hokkaido and then into the sea, Reuters reported. The incident has escalated the tensions on the Korean peninsula. It comes three days after North Korea test-fired three short-range ballistic missiles.

The drill was condemned by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who described it as “reckless action” by North Korea. Abe also said that he had spoken to US President Donald Trump who agreed it was important to “increase pressure” on North Korea.

“My country has every reason to respond with tough counter-measures as an exercise of its right to self defence,” Han Tae-song, the North’s ambassador, told the United Nations’ disarmament forum. “The US should be fully responsible for the catastrophic consequences it will entail.”

All options are on the table, says Trump

US President Donald Trump also rebuked North Korea on Tuesday. In a statement released by the White House, he said that the world has received North Korea’s message “loud and clear”. “This regime has signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior.”

He added that such “threatening and destabilising actions” only increase North Korea’s isolation in the world. “All options are on the table.”

Deteriorating ties

Ties have worsened between the United States and North Korea since Pyongyang said it was planning to strike the US Pacific Territory of Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic missiles. On August 9, Trump had warned Pyongyang that any threat to the country will be met with “fire and fury like the world has never seen”. He had also warned North Korea that it would “truly regret” if it was to act against any US territory or allies.