Australia “will come to the aid of the United States” if North Korea attacks, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said, after Pyongyang outlined plans to fire missiles near the US territory of Guam, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency.

“The United States has no stronger ally than Australia,” Turnbull stated.

“And we have an ANZUS agreement, and if there is an attack on Australia or the United States then... each of us will come to the other’s aid,” he added. “So let’s be very clear about that. If there is an attack on the United States by North Korea, then the ANZUS treaty will be invoked and Australia will come to the aid of the United States.”

The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS or ANZUS Treaty) is the 1951 collective security agreement which bindsAustralia and New Zealand and, separately, Australia and the United States, to cooperate on military matters in the Pacific Ocean region.