Filipino in Israel in ‘critical’ condition after missile salvo from Iran

A destroyed building is pictured at a site in Tel Aviv hit by a missile fired from Iran on June 14, 2025. John Wessels, AFP

MANILA — A Filipino in Israel was in “critical” condition on Monday, following a missile salvo from Iran, a Philippine envoy said.

Philippine Ambassador to Israel Aileen Mendiola said the embassy monitored eight “medical cases” among Filipinos after Iran’s retaliatory strikes in residential areas. Six of the Filipinos have been discharged from the hospital.

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“Yung worry lang ho namin, isang particular na kaso po, yung isang kababayan natin na critical ang sitwasyon. Ito ho medyo binabantayan natin, titingnan ho natin kung makalagpas siya ng araw na ito, medyo may chance na po na maipasok siya sa surgery,” Mendiola told DZMM.  

A Filipina caregiver was in critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit of Shamir Medical Center, Philippine Embassy in Israel said in a Facebook post on Sunday night. It said she "sustained severe injuries to her heart and lungs" and "her condition remains life-threatening." 

Another 43-year-old Filipina underwent emergency surgery and a 44-year-old man sustained injuries to his arm and leg after a missile struck their residence during the early hours of June 15, the embassy said. It said they were "receiving treatment at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot." 

"The Embassy is coordinating with hospital social workers and the Rehovot local government to ensure that, upon discharge, the victims will be transferred to appropriate shelters, granted their due compensation and benefits, and properly assisted in their recovery," it added.

Around 30,000 Filipinos work in Israel, mostly as caregivers, hotel industry workers, students, and engineers, the ambassador noted.

She said that since Friday, at least 24 Filipinos signified their intent to be repatriated but only 13 were decided to go home.

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As Israel's airspace remains closed for landings and takeoff, Mendiola said authorities were exploring whether Filipinos who want to be repatriated could leave by land via Jordan or Israel’s border with Egypt.

“Nakikipag-ugnayan po kaming masinsinan sa mga embassies natin sa Amman at saka Cairo,” the ambassador said. “Hindi puwedeng bigla-biglaan mag-repatriate. Ang consideration namin, yung safety pa rin ng mga kababayan natin, kung yung ruta…ay safe.”

“Aside from that, kailangan naming mag-file ng entry visa, transit visa nila bago makatawid ng border,” she added. 

Emergency hotlines for OFWs in Israel, Iran, nearby countries

Mendiola said there was no clamor for mass evacuation yet among Filipinos.

“Kung tatanungin mo yung mga old-timers dito, nasanay na sila sa sistema dito, sa buhay dito and they’ve been through the different wars na meron dito. Parang battle-hardened na sila and they feel that they can continue working here,” she said.

“Even the other embassies ng mga migrant labor-sending countries, wala pong evacuation na pinag-uusapan sa ngayon. That doesn’t mean the embassies, including the Philippine embassy, are not getting ready. Parating option ‘yan, pero sa ngayon ho, wala pong clamor for mass evacuation,” she said.

The embassy has prepositioned food supplies and other essentials in six shelters across Israel, Mendiola said.

She added that they would “soon launch counseling services” to help Filipinos cope with possible trauma from Israel and Iran’s deepening conflict. 

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MARCOS ORDERS AID 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed government to provide immediate assistance to Filipinos affected by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, Malacanang said.  

“Ang direktiba ng Pangulo sa DFA, DMW at OWWA ay mabilisang tulong sa ating mga kababayan. No one is left behind, iyon ang tagubilin ng Pangulong Marcos Jr,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a briefing.

“At para po sa mabilisang pag-contact po, mayroon po tayong Middle East emergency hotlines, ang DMW-OWWA helpdesk, i-dial lang po ang 1348; and for those abroad naman po, puwede ninyo pong i-dial +6321348,” she said.

ISRAEL AND IRAN RESUME MISSILE STRIKES 

Israel unleashed a new wave of attacks against Iran on Monday, targeting missile sites after Tehran carried out deadly overnight strikes and both sides threatened more devastation.

After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war fought through proxies and covert operations, Israel's surprise assault on Iran last week has touched off the most intense fighting yet and triggered fears of a lengthy conflict that could engulf the Middle East.

Israel says its attacks have hit military and nuclear facilities, and killed many top commanders and atomic scientists -- but a senior US official said Sunday that US President Donald Trump told Israel to back down from a plan to kill supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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Residential areas in both countries have suffered deadly strikes since the hostilities broke out, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slamming Iran on Sunday for allegedly targeting civilians.

"Iran will pay a very heavy price for the premeditated murder of civilians, women and children," he said, during a visit to the site of a missile strike on a residential building in the coastal city of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv.

Colonel Reza Sayyad, a spokesman for Iran's armed forces, threatened a "devastating response" to Israel's attacks.

"Leave the occupied territories (Israel) because they will certainly no longer be habitable in the future," he warned in a televised address, adding shelters will "not guarantee security".

Iran warns Israel of more 'severe' retaliation if it pursues hostile actions

Iran's health ministry reported at least 224 people killed and more than 1,200 wounded in Israeli attacks since Friday.

Israel has claimed strikes as far away as Mashhad in Iran's far east, 2,300 kilometers from Israel, while a likely Iranian drone killed a woman in Syria, a Britain-based war monitor said, in what would be the first death on Syrian soil since the current hostilities between Iran and Israel began.

Trump said Washington "had nothing to do" with Israel's bombing campaign but threatened to unleash "the full strength and might" of the US military if Iran attacked American interests.

On Sunday, he urged the two foes to "make a deal", adding, however, that "sometimes they have to fight it out" first. — With a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News