The US is aiming "to turn the temperature down" in the Middle East, the country's ambassador to the UN has said, as fears of an Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel loom, the BBC reports.

On Tuesday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the UN Security Council in New York that the US wanted to "deter and defend against any future attack and avoid regional conflict."

She called for a ceasefire deal to be finalized.

"A broader regional conflict is not inevitable," she said.

"The United States’ overall goal remains to turn the temperature down in the region, deter and defend against any future attacks, and avoid regional conflict," she added.

"That starts with finalizing a deal for an immediate ceasefire with hostage release in Gaza. We need to get this over the finish line."

But Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, accused the Security Council of not doing enough to stop Israel's military operation in Gaza.

"Wake up. Stop finding excuses. Stop imagining that you can reason with the Israeli government so it stops killing civilians by the thousands, imposing famine, torturing prisoners, colonizing and annexing our land, all while you appeal to them, call on them, demand them to stop," Mansour said.

In turn, Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan said the Israeli military took every possible measure to minimize collateral damage and accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields.

Also, he criticized the UN Security Council for not condemning the actions of Iran.