WASHINGTON- The top U.S. military officer says the United States wants to peacefully resolve a deepening standoff with North Korea but is also ready to use the "full range" of its military capabilities in case of provocation.

The comments by Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford in meetings Monday with senior South Korean military and political officials appeared to be an attempt to ease anxiety over tit-for-tat threats between President Donald Trump and North Korea while also showing a willingness to back up Trump's warnings if necessary.

Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the U.S. is "seeking a peaceful resolution to the crisis." Dunford is visiting South Korea, Japan and China after a week in which Trump said he was ready to unleash "fire and fury" if North Korea continued to threaten the United States.