Haaretz reports: “North Korea warned that its military has been cleared to attack the U.S. using ‘smaller, lighter and diversified’ nuclear weapons, while the U.S. said it would strengthen regional protection by deploying a missile defense system to Guam.

Despite the intense rhetoric, analysts do not expect a nuclear attack by North Korea, which knows the move could trigger a destructive, suicidal war. Experts believe Pyongyang does not yet have the ability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles, but its other nuclear capabilities aren’t fully known.

The strident warning from Pyongyang is the latest in a series of escalating threats from North Korea, which has railed against joint U.S.­ and South Korean military exercises taking place in South Korea and has expressed anger over tightened sanctions for its February nuclear test…” (North Korea raises a lot of bally ho to get attention. Baring China’s help they could be nuked out of existence. This noisy blusterer’s pronouncements and warning are signs of Christ’s return – Matthew 24:6, 7; Mark 13:7, 8; Luke 21:9, 27, 28, 31, and 32. See the next two reports.)

Voice of America News reports: “U.S. B-2 bombers have conducted a firing drill on the Korean peninsula.

The U.S. military is making no secret that the non-stop flights of a pair of B-2 bombers from the United States to South Korea should be interpreted as a signal to North Korea.

A military news release announcing the mission says it ‘demonstrates the United States’ ability to conduct long range, precision strikes quickly and at will.’

The strategic stealth bombers flew from Whiteman Air Force Base in the U.S. state of Missouri to drop inert munitions on an island off the southwestern coast of the Korean peninsula before heading back to their home base – a 20,000 kilometer non-stop trip.

Shin In-kyun, who heads the Korea Defense Network – an alliance of military experts based in Seoul – says it is unprecedented for the U.S. Air Force to be so transparent about such B-2 flights.

Shin says this means that the United States is taking seriously the provocative language from Pyongyang. And the B-2 is ‘a weapon North Korea fears the most.’…”

Israel National News reports: “North Korea raised the nuclear threat level against the United States warning it could launch a pre-emptive attack on the U.S. and South Korea.

Pyongyang claimed such an attack could come as part of its military options, as it continued to raise its rhetoric and escalate tensions over military drills carried out recently in the region between the two allies.

The North Korean military leadership said it would place its missile and artillery units into ‘highest level combat readiness’ and reiterated that it could take actual military action.

The statement further increased already-tense relations on the northern and southern sides of the Korean border.

American geopolitical military strategy analyst Mark Langfan noted that ‘while the north has issued threats before, threats of ‘pre-emptive nuclear attack’ appear to ratchet up the north’s rhetoric.’

When asked whether North Korea appeared to be bluffing, Langfan told Arutz Sheva in an email exchange, ‘It certainly looks real to me.’…”

Voice of America News reports: “A small fleet of Chinese naval ships recently concluded drills in a disputed part of the South China Sea, some 80 kilometers from Malaysia’s shores. The People’s Liberation Army’s naval foray so far south is a first in recent memory.

The fleet of four ships headed to the Spratly Islands and made their way to James Shoal – less than 100 kilometers from Malaysia – to carry out their drills. The fleet included two guided missile frigates and a guided missile destroyer. The Xinhua news agency says the vessels did formation exercises with some land-based aircraft, which were fighters and fighter-bombers.

Ian Storey of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies says the number of ships involved was ‘not significant.’

‘This, again, is designed to send a message that China has the capabilities to operate far from the mainland and also to land forces and retake these islands in order to resolve the dispute, should it so wish to do so,’ Storey said…” (China will invade Israel as the leader of a second wave of nations that come against Israel and undoubtedly America who stands as a protective partner of Israel – Revelation 16:12; Revelation 9:14 – 18.)

Reuters reports: “President Vladimir Putin ordered the launch of large-scale Russian military exercises in the Black Sea region his spokesman said, in a move that may create tensions with Russia’s post-Soviet neighbors Ukraine and Georgia.

Putin issued the order to start the previously unannounced maneuvers at 4 a.m. Moscow time (12.00 a.m. EDT) as he flew back from an international summit in South Africa, his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters by telephone.

‘These are large-scale unannounced test exercises,’ Peskov said, adding that 36 warships and an unspecified number of warplanes would take part. ‘The main goal is to check the readiness and cohesion of the various units.’

He did not say how long the exercises would last.

Putin has stressed the importance of a strong and agile military since he returned to the presidency last May after four years as prime minister. In 13 years in power, he has often cited external threats when talking of the need for unity in Russia…” (Russia begins the war of Armageddon – World War III — Ezekiel 38:1, 2, 8, and 16. United with Russia are battalions of troops from numerous Muslim nations – Daniel 11:40; Isaiah 17:1; Ezekiel 38:5-7’ Psalm 83:5-7. This massive military alliance is defeated – Ezekiel 38:1, 2, 12, and 13. Then as already mentioned the left over armies of Russia and the Muslim alliance join with China for the greatest war of history – Armageddon – Revelation 9:14 – 18; 16:16. See the next report.)

WND.com reports: “The Russian military doctrine adopted in 2010 after the ‘reset’ with the Obama administration considers the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, the main threats Moscow must be prepared to fight, according to Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

This is the assessment of Alexei Arbatov, a former Duma, or parliament, deputy and currently head of the Center for International Security of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Recent events have underscored the prospect due to the firing of Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who served under then-President Dmitry Medvedev, who now is the Russian prime minister.

Russian President Vladimir Putin replaced Serdyukov with Sergei Shoigu, who is more in line with Putin’s outlook on the future role and capabilities of the military.

Under Medvedev, Serdyukov had a different approach, which was to more closely work with the West in an effort to obtain Western technologies and know-how to modernize not only Russian infrastructure but also the military.

All of that went away with Putin’s more confrontational approach with the U.S. and his efforts to blunt American nfluence in Central Asia, which Moscow claims is in its sphere of influence.

Putin also aims to recreate a post-Soviet empire by incorporating the former Soviet republics into a Eurasian Union, a duty-free zone that he sees rivaling the European Union in years to come…”