WASHINGTON — An Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would be a high-risk move that could destabilize the Middle East, the Pentagon’s top military officer said today.

At a Defense Department press conference, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, refused to say what Israeli leaders told him during meetings last week about any intentions to strike Iran.

But asked whether he was concerned Israel would strike before the end of the year, he said: “This is a very unstable part of the world and I don’t need it to be more unstable.”

The American military is severely strained already by wars on two fronts — the nearly seven-year-old campaign in Afghanistan and more than five years in Iraq.

“Opening up a third front right now would be extremely stressful on us,” Admiral Mullen said.

The Bush administration and other world leaders allege Iran is seeking to produce nuclear weapons and Iran says its nuclear program is aimed only at generating electricity.

“I believe they’re still on a path to get nuclear weapons and I think that’s something that needs to be deterred,” Admiral Mullen said, adding that it should be done through diplomatic, financial, and economic actions by America and other nations.

But, he added, “I think that just about every move in that part of the world is a high-risk move.”

In a press conference earlier in the day, President Bush also was asked about increasing speculation that Israel will launch a military strike, saying that all options are on the table but that military action would not be his first choice.

“I have made it very clear to all parties that the first option ought to be solve this problem diplomatically,” Mr. Bush said. “And the best way to solve it diplomatically is for the United States to work with other nations to send a focused message — and that is, you will be isolated, and you will have economic hardship, if you continue to enrich” uranium for a bomb.