The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday said they do not yet have information if Filipinos were affected by the United States’ attack on three nuclear sites in Iran, as an estimated 223 Filipinos in Israel request for repatriation.

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday morning that the US held a successful attack on three nuclear sites in Iran ? Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, and that Fordow, Iran’s primary nuclear site, was now gone.

“A full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the world that could have done this,” Trump said in a social media post.

In a radio interview, Assistant Foreign Secretary Robert Ferrer said they have informed Filipinos in Iran to stay away from Iranian facilities.

Only nine Filipinos out of almost 1,200 in Iran have requested for repatriation, noting the difficulties in crossing over to Turkmenistan’s border for repatriation, according to Ferrer.

“It’s very hard to move from Tehran to the Turkmenistan border. It’s a 13-hour drive. I think in the next few days, they will be able to do it with God’s help,” Ferrer said.

Alert Level 3 was raised in Israel and Iran over the weekend by the Philippine government, urging Filipinos in the area to repatriate voluntarily as tensions continue to rise between the two Middle Eastern nations.

Twenty six Filipinos are expected to leave the country through Jordan.

The Filipino reported to be in critical condition following Iran’s first missile attack over the weekend remains in the hospital, while 80 of the 88 Filipinos whose homes were damaged following Iran’s airstrikes were relocated to safer areas. Velle White/DMS