US Bomber flies over Korean peninsula in joint aerial drill

The United States has flown a B-1B bomber over the Korean peninsula as part of a joint aerial drill with the South's military.

The plane joined two U.S. F-22 Raptor stealth fighters in a bombing drill that kicked off in South Korea on Monday.

The U.S. bomber simulated land strikes on military grounds near the eastern coast, proving its ability to "punish" the North's aggression, Fox News reported, citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying in a statement.

"Through the drill, the South Korean and U.S. air forces displayed the allies' strong intent and ability to punish North Korea when threatened by nuclear weapons and missiles," the JCS said.

The B-1B, commonly referred as the 'Bone,' is a heavy strategic bomber used by the U.S. Air Force.

The five-day Vigilant ACE (air combat exercise) is the largest-ever combined air force drill between the allies, involving more than 230 warplanes and around 12,000 personnel, which include six F-22 Raptors and six F-35As that have been deployed temporarily to Korea for the practice, Yonhap news agency reported.

Two B-1B Lancer bombers, six EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, and dozens of F-15C and F-16 fighter jets have also been deployed for the drill apart from South Korea's F-15K, KF-16, FA-50 and F-5 fighters."It's aimed at enhancing the all-weather, day and night combined air power operation capabilities of South Korea and the U.S.," Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korea's defence ministry as saying.

The drill is being conducted a week after Pyongyang fired what it purported was a new intercontinental ballistic missile which could hit mainland U.S.

Pyongyang has called the latest drill "nuclear war provocation moves."

-ANI