North Korea says it may 'reduce the US mainland to ashes any moment'

The US mainland could be “reduced to ashes at any moment”, the North Korean government’s official newspaper has said, as tensions between the two countries continue to mount.

The Rodong Sinmun, an official mouthpiece of Kim Jong-un’s ruling Workers’ Party, said the “reckless and hysteric” behaviour of Donald Trump would be to blame if the US is attacked.

The Trump administration has been “seized with anxiety and terror” following North Korea's successful testing of a long-range missile, the newspaper claimed, saying “US military warmongers are running amok”.

“It is a tragedy that the reckless and hysteric behaviours may reduce the US mainland to ashes [at] any moment,” it continued, according to KCNAWatch.

Ominously, it said it was the “steadfast will” of North Korea to “put an end to the hostile moves of the US” and vowed that the communist state will “win the final victory in the stand-off with imperialism and the US”.

“The US and its vassal forces will dearly pay for the harshest sanctions and pressure and reckless military provocations against the DPRK,” it added.

The latest threats follow days of mounting tensions between the US government and the North Korean regime.

The escalation began when North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and Mr Trump threatened to inflict “fire and fury the like of which the world has never seen” on the country in response.

Kim Jong-un’s government then announced it was putting together plans to fire four missiles close to the US Pacific territory of Guam.

In pictures: North Korea military drill

8 show all In pictures: North Korea military drill

1/8 North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS

2/8 A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS

3/8 A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS

4/8 A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS

5/8 A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS

6/8 This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

7/8 This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

8/8 This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

As the war of words continued, the US ramped up joint military exercises with Japan and South Korea and flew bomb B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula.

Amid criticism that his aggressive comments had stoked tensions, Donald Trump claimed his previous remark “maybe wasn’t tough enough” and said North Korea should be “very, very nervous”.

“They've been doing this to our country for a long time, for many years," he added.

"And it's about time that somebody stuck up for the people of this country and for the people of other countries."