JERUSALEM, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office Saturday declined to comment on an Israeli drill reportedly held in preparation for a military raid on Iran's nuclear facilities, local daily Ha'aretz reported.

    Olmert's office made the response after an Israeli political official familiar with the reported exercise told the London-based Times earlier Saturday that the Iranians should view the exercise as a warning.

    "This was a dress rehearsal, and the Iranians should read the script before they continue with their program for nuclear weapons. If diplomacy does not yield results, Israel will take military steps to halt Tehran's production of bomb-grade uranium," the Israeli official was quoted as saying.

    Though Olmert's office declined to comment, a senior lawmaker in his ruling Kadima Party said Saturday that diplomatic efforts to curb Iran's nuclear program have failed and the coming one to two years would be critical.

    Tzachi Hanegbi, head of the Knesset (parliament) Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, told Israel Radio that the world has to decide how to proceed.

    "The Israeli Air Force regularly trains for various missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel," an Israeli military spokesman said in the report.

    The New York Times on Friday quoted unidentified American officials as saying that more than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighter jets took part in the maneuvers over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece during the first week of June.

    Friday's spike was not the first signal of tensions between Israel and Iran. Earlier this month, Israeli Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said "if Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it."

    Israeli officials later slashed out at Mofaz over his threat of military action against Iran, adding that the hawkish remarks do not represent Israel's policy.

    The West believes that Iran aims at developing nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful use.