Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Monday that the U.S. hasn't tried to shoot down any of North Korea's missiles because none of them has posed a threat to the U.S.
"No. 1, those missiles are not directly threatening any of us," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon.
"Obviously, Japan's missile defenses are up and their radars are operating. Ours are," he said.
Mattis indicated that North Korea seems to be running missile testing exercises that fall just short of warranting more aggressive responses from the U.S.
North Korea is "intentionally doing provocations that seem to press against the envelope for just how far can they push without going over some kind of line in their minds that would make them vulnerable, so they aim for the middle of the Pacific Ocean," he said.
Mattis also said the U.S. has military options that would not put Seoul, South Korea, at risk from the North's aggression."Yes, there are but I will not go into details," Mattis said.
Military planners have long worried any outbreak of hostilities would immediately lead to the regime shelling the city of 25 million with its thousands of artillery pieces placed along the border.
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