MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday, March 26, that no Filipinos were harmed after Saudi Arabia military forces intercepted 7 missiles fired by Yemeni rebels.

A report  by Agence France Presse said “the rebels have periodically fired missiles into Saudi territory and Saudi forces announced Sunday night they had intercepted 7 more, including over Riyadh.”

 “No Filipinos were reported among the casualties after Huthi rebels in Yemen fired 7 ballistic missiles towards Riyadh and several other areas in Saudi Arabia late Sunday evening,” the DFA said in a statement.

The Philippines also condemned the missile attacks which left one person dead and two others wounded.

“The Philippines strongly condemns the latest missile attacks against Saudi Arabia,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said. “These attacks targeting Riyadh and other heavily populated areas are a violation of international law and must stop.”

Agence France Presse also reported that one Egyptian was killed and two were wounded by falling shrapnel in Riyadh during the attack that happened on the eve of the 3rd anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen.

Authorities said Huthi rebels fired 3 missiles at Riyadh and 4 others at the southern cities of Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran. 

Cayetano praised the Kingdom for the successful interception of the missiles, saying it saved the lives of many Saudi citizens as well as foreign nationals, including the close to 1 million Filipinos working there.

Ambassador Adnan Alonto said the Embassy and the Consulate General in Jeddah continue to monitor the situation.

“We request our kababayans to remain calm but vigilant and to immediately report to the Embassy or Consulate General any Filipinos who may have been affected by the attacks,” Ambassador Alonto said.

ACTS-OFW Representative Aniceto ‘John’ Bertiz III has earlier denounced the missile attacks, saying the attack endangered the lives of OFWs in Saudi Arabia.

“There are over 1.2 million Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia. Any projectile that is not intercepted by the Saudi air force is bound to put in harm’s way the lives of our workers there,” Bertiz said in a statement.

“We condemn these missile raids, which are a menace to our workers there,” he added. – With reports from Agence France Presse/Rappler.com