The US has successfully tested its ballistic missile intercept system in Alaska, which uses "hit to kill" technology.

The news comes after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday, capable of reaching and destroying any American city, including New York.

Experts have also warned North Korea's missiles could reach London or other major European cities.

The US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) managed to intercept a missile launched over the Pacific Ocean, meant to stimulate a real missile fire by Pyongyang.

Tensions between the two countries are growing and America and north Korea's Supreme Leader , Kim Jong-un, has warned it would not be safe from destruction if it tries to attack.

Lieutenant General Sam Greaves, director of the Missile Defence Agency, said the exercise will help the US stay "ahead" of the evolving threat.

The system is designed to intercept and destroy short, medium, and intermediate range ballistic missiles during the final phase of their flight.

It uses hit-to-kill technology so kinetic energy from the interceptor missile destroys an incoming target.

The exercise had been planned months in advance but came just two days after North Korea's mock attack, meant as a "stern warning".

Had the missile been fired at standard trajectory, the rocket could have reached Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, New York or Boston.

Last month, the north conducted its first ICBM test in defiance of years of efforts led by the United States, south Korea and Japan over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ambitions.

This year, the US began deploying THAAD to South Korea, a move that angered North Korea's biggest allies, China.

The country argued deployment would further destabilise the situation on the Korean peninsula.

he move could spark retaliation attacks from Jong-Un and would be a step towards all-out war to stop North Korea from developing Nuclear weapons.

He took to Twitter to turn on China, saying he would no longer allow the behaviour to continue.

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