SEOUL, June 19, 2025 (AFP) - North Korea on Thursday slammed Israel's launching of strikes to spark its conflict with Iran, and warned the United States and European powers against "fanning up the flames of war", according to a foreign ministry spokesperson.

The North expressed "serious concern" over "Israel's military attack and resolutely denounces it," the spokesperson said, adding that Israel's killing of civilians was "an unpardonable crime against humanity."

"The illegal act of state-sponsored terrorism by Israel (is) raising the danger of a new all-out war in the Middle East region," said the statement, which was published by state-run news agency KCNA.

Israel on Friday launched strikes that it said targeted Iran's nuclear programme, sparking six days of continuing exchanges that have seen both sides firing salvoes of missiles at each other.

Iran said Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. It has not issued an updated toll since then.

Since Friday, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to the Israeli government. Those casualties also reportedly include civilians.

North Korea has in recent years grown closer to Russia, supporting its military operations against Ukraine in Moscow's grinding war with that country.

Russia and Iran in January inked a far-ranging strategic partnership agreement to broaden military ties, and Kyiv and its allies have long accused Iran of supplying Russia with drones and short-range missiles.

US President Donald Trump has fuelled speculation about the US joining its key ally Israel in military action against Iran, saying Wednesday that his patience had "run out" with Tehran, but that it was still not too late for talks.

He later said he had not yet made a decision on whether to join Israel in bombing Iran and warned that the country's current leadership could fall as a result of the war.

Pyongyang warned Trump and others against joining Israel's war.

"The present grave situation witnessed by the world clearly proves that Israel, supported and patronized by the US and the West, is a cancer-like entity for the peace in the Middle East and a chief culprit of destroying global peace and security," said the foreign ministry spokesperson.

"The international community is strictly watching the US and Western forces fanning up the flames of war, taking issue with the legitimate sovereign right and exercise of the right to self-defence of Iran, the victim," they added.

The spokesperson said actions by the United States and European powers were "pushing the situation in the Middle East to an uncontrollable catastrophic phase".