Kremlin says it sees that Israel does not want mediation efforts with Iran amid 'galloping escalation'

MOSCOW, June 17 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it saw that Israel did not want mediation efforts over its conflict with Iran, now in its fifth day amid what Moscow said was "galloping escalation".

Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack last week that has killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. Iran has responded with a barrage of strikes on Israeli cities.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on both sides to exercise "maximum restraint".

"The situation is continuing to escalate rapidly. The level of unpredictability is absolute," he said.

Peskov said that Russia's offer to mediate between the warring sides if necessary still stood, but that it saw Israel was for now not interested in seeking a peaceful solution.

Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran in January, but the pact does not include a mutual defence clause. It also has longstanding ties with Israel, though these have been strained by the war in Ukraine and Israel's bombing of Gaza.

Peskov said the Russian embassy in Tehran was coordinating with Russian citizens and providing them with opportunities to evacuate the country via neighbouring Azerbaijan.