Ambassador Ilan Fluss assured on Saturday night that Filipinos and other foreign nationals in Israel will receive the same protection as Israeli citizens amid Iran’s ongoing air strikes. The ambassador reported that three individuals were killed following Tehran’s retaliatory attacks, which began Friday night in response to Israel’s military operations targeting Iranian leaders and nuclear sites.
“Israel is defending itself, and we have a lot of air defense systems that are operational. Unfortunately, of course, we do have missiles that did hit the targets in Israel,” Fluss stated. He emphasized that safety measures for foreigners, including Filipinos, are equivalent to those provided to Israelis.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that no Filipinos have been reported injured in the recent air strikes. According to the latest DFA data, there are 30,742 Filipinos in Israel and at least 1,180 in Iran, most of whom are married to Iranian nationals.
Fluss defended Israel’s military actions, citing the “existential threat” posed by Iran due to its accelerated nuclear program and ballistic missile capabilities. He noted that Iran now possesses enough enriched uranium for nine nuclear bombs and has significantly increased its missile production.
The escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel has raised concerns about a potential wider regional conflict. In response, Israel has shut down its airspace with no clear timeline for reopening. Israelis worldwide have been advised to remain vigilant and avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public.
Fluss also mentioned that operations at the Israeli Embassy in Manila are ongoing as they assess the situation. “It’s not that the Israeli Embassy is closed. We’ll do an assessment, and we’ll see how we continue to operate in the coming days,” he said.