Axios

Citing "multiple senior U.S. intelligence officials," NBC News reports that the U.S. "is prepared to launch a preemptive strike with conventional weapons against North Korea should officials become convinced that North Korea is about to follow through with a nuclear weapons test."

Here's the problem — neatly summarized by the New York Times' national security correspondent David Sanger, who's covered North Korea and nuclear proliferation for three decades: North Korea has had — and still has — a non-nuclear way of destroying Seoul, one of the biggest and most prosperous capitals in Asia," Sanger told NPR's "Fresh Air."

Multiple senior U.S. intelligence officials told NBC News the U.S. is prepared to launch a preemptive strike if they become convinced North Korea is about to test a nuclear weapon.

The U.S. would strike with non-nuclear weapons, the officials say, and has two destroyers capable of shooting Tomahawk missiles in the region, as well as heavy fighters positioned in Guam. The Pentagon has also rerouted the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier. The U.S. would reportedly seek South Korean consent before striking.

But North Korea says it would "hit the U.S. first" with nukes if the U.S. signals a strike.

The evidence North Korea might be about to launch a test: Experts report Pyongyang is primed to launch its sixth nuclear test from its Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site within days, based on satellite images captured Wednesday.

Update: A senior administration official told the AP it was "completely false" that the U.S. was preparing for a pre-emptive strike.