MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine embassies in the Middle East are on full alert and have advised Filipinos in the region to refrain from unnecessary travel in their respective host countries amid the bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States. The US and Israel launched a “preemptive strike” on Iran, which retaliated with missile attacks on Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Kuwait, hosts to US military bases. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said there were over 2.4 million Filipinos in the Mideast. “As of this time, there are no Filipinos reported affected or harmed,” the DFA said in a statement on Saturday. This figure is broken down as follows: UAE - 973,000; Saudi Arabia - 813,000; Qatar - 250,000; Kuwai - 211,000; Bahrain - 56,000; Oman - 49,000; Jordan (including Palestine) - 41,600; Israel - 31,000; Lebanon - 14,000; Iraq - 1,600; Iran - 800; and Syria - 700. Sen. Win Gatchalian on Sunday urged the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to prepare for the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who might want to return home amid the escalating conflict in the region. Gatchalian, Senate Finance Committee chairman, said P2 billion Aksyon Fund under the DMW was allotted for the repatriation of OFWs and other forms of emergency assistance for those in distress. Sen. Erwin Tulfo, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, expressed alarm over the latest escalation of tensions in various areas in the Middle East amid “major combat operations” between Israel-US and Iran. Tulfo said the Philippine embassies in other affected areas have "already created procedures that Filipinos can follow should they need to seek help."