North Korea slams Israeli attacks on Iran as crime against humanity

SEOUL - North Korea on June 19 slammed Israel’s launching of strikes to spark its conflict with Iran, and warned the US 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 KCNA news agency.

Israel on June 13 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 on June 15 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 June 13, 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 on June 18 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