The director of the Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, General Amos Yadlin, said Friday that the attack in Afghanistan on Thursday and last week's attack in Syria were intended to send a message to North Korea.
Yadlin wrote in his Twitter account that "Trump is indicating through his attack in Syria and use of the MOAB that his foreign policy will be totally different from that of Obama. The message is not just to those who were attacked but also to North Korea which is perceived as an immediate threat to the US."
Yadlin added that "the response of North Korea to a possible American attack would be directed at South Korea. North Korea has the ability to rain hundreds of rockets on Seoul and the US will have to take this into account when it takes decisions."
The NBC news network reported Thursday night that the US is ready to open an offensive against North Korea if it is convinced that they intend to perform a nuclear test. Intelligence sources said that the attack would be an "advance blow" which would utilize conventional weapons.
Satellite images recently taken suggest that North Korea might soon conduct another underground detonation in its effort to learn how to produce nuclear weapons — its sixth explosive test in a decade.
If this is correct it would represent a sharp response by Pyongyang to recent American moves near its shores. North Korean sources have told foreign journalists located in the country to prepare for "something big and important" in the near future.