The Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday that Israeli strikes on Iran and its nuclear facilities were unprovoked and in breach of the United Nations charter.

"Unprovoked military strikes against a sovereign UN member state, its citizens, peaceful cities, and nuclear energy infrastructure are categorically unacceptable," the ministry said in a statement.

Israel launched strikes against Iran on Friday, saying it had targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders during the start of an operation to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear weapon.