Israel on Friday vowed not to stop its attacks on Iran until Tehran’s nuclear programme had not been dismantled, Reuters reported.

The comment came during a United Nations Security Council meeting.

“Though our homes, our families and our children are under threat, we will not stop,” Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon said. “Not until Iran’s nuclear threat is dismantled. Not until its war machine is disarmed. Not until our people and yours are safe.”

Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the UN, urged the Security Council to act to stop the Israeli attacks.

“Israel apparently declared that it will continue this strike for as many days as it takes,” Reuters quoted him as saying. “We are alarmed by credible report that the United States... may be joining this war.”

On Thursday, United States President Donald Trump said that he will decide within two weeks whether Washington will get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

The remarks came amid speculation about the US joining Israeli military operations in Iran. Washington is an ally of Israel and acts as a guarantor of the country’s security.

Trump’s priority was to ensure that Tehran did not develop a nuclear weapon, the White House said.

Ready to consider diplomacy only after Israeli attacks stop: Tehran

Separately, Iran said that it was ready to consider diplomacy as a means to end the conflict only after the Israeli “aggression is stopped”, The Guardian reported. The comment by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi came following his talks about his country’s nuclear programme with his European counterparts in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday.

“Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once the aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed,” Araghchi told reporters. “We support the continuation of discussion with [the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union] and express our readiness to meet again in the near future.”

The developments came as Israel and Iran continued to exchange fire.

The latest round of the conflict between Israel and Iran started on June 13 when the Israeli military struck what it claimed were nuclear targets, and also other sites, in Iran with the aim of stalling Tehran’s nuclear programme. Iran retaliated with missile attacks on Israel.

The continued attacks have led to concerns of a wider conflict in the region.

Iran had said on June 15 that 224 persons had been killed in the conflict. In Israel, at least 24 persons have been killed in Iranian attacks so far.

Israel has claimed that Iran was “closer than ever” to obtaining a nuclear weapon, and said it had no choice but to “fulfil the obligation to act in defence of its citizens”. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.