The news.

The United States is making it clear

it has not gone to war against North Korea.

John Jessup has that.

That's right, Pat, North Korea's foreign minister

considers a tweet by President Trump a declaration of war.

National security correspondent Erik Rosales

reports on the war of words and what

could happen if the North carries out

its threat to test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean.

North Korea's top diplomat accused

President Trump of openly declaring war on his country.

The foreign minister of North Korea

claims this tweet, which states "little rocket man won't

be around much longer," gives the rogue nation every right

to strike back.

TRANSLATOR: Since the US has made a declaration of war,

we will have every right to make countermeasures, including

the right to shoot down the United States'

strategic bombers even if they do not come into our airspace.

ERIK ROSALES: The State Department rapidly

pushed back, telling CBN News, "the United States has not

declared war on North Korea.

We continue to seek a peaceful denuclearization

of the Korean peninsula."

Pentagon officials also spoke out,

defending the right to conduct flyovers, including

this past weekend's show of military strength

as B-1 bombers and F-15 fighter jets flew along

the North Korean coast farther north

than any American aircraft in decades.

ROBERT MANNING: It is our hope that they

stop these provocations and their pursuit

of their nuclear program.

MAN: If they do do a nuclear test?

ROBERT MANNING: Well again, that goes back to our job

is to make sure that the president has those options.

We've got a deep arsenal of options

to provide the president to make a decision if that

were to occur.

ERIK ROSALES: If North Korea follows through

with a hydrogen bomb nuclear test over the Pacific,

radioactive fallout could be catastrophic.

Thus far, all six North Korean nuclear tests

have been underground, containing the radioactivity.

But the threatening H bomb test would destroy or contaminate

marine life plus the wind would send a radioactive cloud

over populated areas.

We are approaching a Cuban Missile Crisis-like situation,

OK?

The threat of nuclear war is not necessarily high,

but it's real.

ERIK ROSALES: Daryl Kimball, executive director

of the Washington DC-based think tank Arms Control Association,

believes the US needs to consider

how involving other countries might help cut the escalation

cycle.

The Chinese likewise could play a role

in brokering a conversation.

The Security Council could meet and bring the North Koreans

into the conversation in a closed door setting.

There are things that can be done

to establish a dialogue that reduces the risks

and now's the time to do that.

It's unclear if North Korea even

has the capability to perform a hydrogen bomb test.

However, it's safe to assume the North Korean dictator

means what he says and will act on it.

Erik Rosales, CBN News, Washington.

And, Pat, to Erik's point, every test

that Kim's threatened to do, he's actually carried out.

Well, as one congressman said so cogently,

this is a country run by a crime family.

This is nothing but a crime family

and all they care about is keeping their own power.

Didn't he take anti-aircraft guns and shoot people?

I mean, didn't he do that?

Didn't he have one of his own relatives murdered?

This young man doesn't care, as long as he keeps power.

But the idea of an atmospheric test of a hydrogen bomb

is unthinkable because of the fallout of the radiation that

comes from it.

This is unthinkable, but he might well do it.