In the last days and weeks, military tensions have increased between the United States and other nations. Here’s what you missed.
Pence warns North Korea
Vice President Mike Pence used recent U.S. military strikes in Syria and Afghanistan to warn North Korea against action.
Pence spoke Monday from South Korea on a visit to the demilitarized zone between the two nations.
North Korea spent most of last week showing off new missiles and moving forward with the development of nuclear weapons.
The country fired a ballistic missile during the weekend, but it blew up within seconds.
Earlier this month, North Korea fired a version of a mid-range, submarine-launched ballistic missile, but that test also failed.
“Just in the past two weeks, the world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in Syria and Afghanistan,” Pence said. “North Korea would do well not to test his resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region.”
“Mother of all bombs” dropped in Afghanistan
The U.S. Air Force dropped the largest U.S. non-nuclear bomb last Thursday in Afghanistan.
Technically called the Massive Ordinance Air Blast, the missile is commonly referred to as the “mother of all bombs.” It had never before been used.
The bomb was used to strike underground tunnels where Islamic State group militants were planning attacks. The initial death count of ISIS agents was listed at 36 and was later updated to 94.
Syria missile is one of many strikes since inauguration.
Last week President Trump authorized a bomb strike on a Syrian government airbase in retaliation against a chemical weapons attack that killed civilians in Syria.
The airstrike prompted concerns of further military action or a declaration of war, but the strike currently appears to many officials to be a one-time strike.
This airstrike, while more widely publicized than most, is just one of many in an increase in military action since the Trump administration took office.
The U.S. Air Force and its partners have dropped more weapons targeting the Islamic State group in the month of March than in any other month since August 2014.
Nearly twice as many weapons were dropped this March when compared to March 2016.
