ISTANBUL

South Africa's presidency expressed "a great deal of anxiety" about the US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict on Sunday following the US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.

South Africa's "sincerest hope" is that US President Donald Trump uses his and his government's influence to "prevail on the parties to pursue a dialogue path in resolving their issues of dispute," according to a statement issued by the presidency.

South Africa urged the three countries to give the UN "the opportunity and space to lead on the peaceful resolution" of the issues at hand, such as inspecting and verifying Iran's uranium enrichment activities and overall nuclear capabilities.

The statement comes after the US launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, including the Fordo facility, using bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles.

US President Donald Trump announced Sunday that American forces carried out "very successful" airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, amid growing fears of a broader conflict in the region.

The US targeted Iran’s nuclear sites with six bunker-buster bombs dropped on the Fordo facility with B-2 stealth bombers, along with dozens of submarine-launched cruise missile strikes on the Natanz and Isfahan facilities.

The attacks came as the latest escalation in a US-backed Israeli military assault on Iran since June 13, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks on Israel.

Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.

Meanwhile, in Iran, 430 people have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to the Iranian Health Ministry.