Trump: US ’locked and loaded’ on N Korea

President Donald Trump says the US military is "locked and loaded" to deal with North Korea, ramping up the rhetorical brinkmanship.

"Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong-un will find another path!" he tweeted.

He spoke as North Korea accused him of "driving" the Korean peninsula to the "brink of a nuclear war".

Pyongyang is finalising a plan to fire missiles near the US territory of Guam.

The Pacific island's homeland security agency issued a fact sheet on Friday with tips for residents to prepare for any missile threat.

Media captionGuam beachgoers unfazed by North Korea threats

The sheet states: "Do not look at the flash or fireball - it can blind you."

"Lie flat on the ground and cover your head. If the explosion is some distance away, it could take 30 seconds or more for the blast wave to hit."

Mr Trump's provocative tweet follows his threat earlier this week to rain "fire and fury" on Pyongyang.

His latest post came hours after his Defence Secretary Jim Mattis attempted to defuse tensions by emphasising a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

The Pentagon chief said war would be "catastrophic" and that diplomacy was gaining results.