JERUSALEM, April 20 -- Israel and Iran on Friday both played down an apparent Israeli airstrike near a major air base and nuclear site in central Iran, signaling the two bitter enemies are ready to prevent their latest eruption of violence from escalating into a full-blown regional war.

But the indecisive outcome of weeks of tensions - which included an alleged Israeli strike that killed two Iranian generals, an unprecedented Iranian missile barrage on Israel and the apparent Israeli strike early Friday in the heart of Iran - did little to resolve the deeper grievances between the foes and left the door open to further fighting.

"It appears we're closer than ever to a broad regional war, despite the fact that the international community...