April 16 ------ The Philippines has expressed concern over developments in the Middle East as Iran launched a retaliatory attack on Israel amid the latter’s ongoing war with Hamas militants in Gaza. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said it is urging all parties to refrain from escalating the situation and work towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict. “The Philippines expresses its serious concern over the increasing tensions between Israel and Iran,” DFA said. “The Philippines has long advocated for all states to adhere to the principles of international law and to the peaceful settlement of disputes,” it added.
On Saturday, April 13, Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles towards Israel in retaliation to the airstrike on the Iranian Embassy in Syria that killed at least 16 people. Israel has not claimed responsibility over nor denied the attack on the Iranian embassy. But the strike on the embassy came amid the heightened conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran-based terrorists who are sympathizers of Hamas.
In a statement, the Israeli Embassy in Manila said Israel “is ready for any scenario, both defensively and offensively. “Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We will defend ourselves against any threat and will do so level-headedly and with determination,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The embassy also cited Iran, particularly its Revolutionary Guard Corps, for holding as hostage four Filipino seafarers, among other crew members, of a Portuguese civilian cargo ship on the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: mb.com.ph