Terror disciples are collecting victory badges after the escalation of the Gaza conflict into another Middle East crisis as the feared armed conflict between Israel and Iran has started.

Hamas, the terror group that controlled the Gaza Strip, launched an attack on Israel on 7 October last year which was calculated to spark an Arab war against Israel.

Half a year later, the terrorists are on the road to victory with great help from the impotent United Nations.

The fear has escalated not only because of the collateral damage which for Filipinos is on the huge diaspora in the Middle East and those who man the world’s sea vessels.

Where the global backlash of the Gaza conflict was limited, a full-blown war between Israel and Iran would be a nightmare for humanity.

Iran can launch a nuclear strike which Israel Ambassador Ian Fluss said the global community must address.

The unprovoked aggression “is a clear example of Iran’s desire to destroy Israel and illustrates the global threat posed by a potentially nuclear-armed Iran,” Fluss said.

Simultaneous with the attack on Israel was the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ seizure of a Portuguese cargo ship, the MCS Aries, reportedly with four Filipino seafarers on board. The IRGC was among the groups that took part in the unprecedented missile attacks on Israel.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is checking whether Filipino nationals are among the crew of the vessel seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) near the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are working in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Tehran and the Department of Migrant Workers to verify the presence of Filipino seafarers on board,” the DFA said Saturday night.

Once confirmed, the DFA vowed to extend all necessary assistance to ensure their release.

“If so, no effort will be spared to have them released and returned home as possible,” it said.

The DFA emphasized that the welfare of Filipino seafarers and other nationals overseas is an ongoing commitment of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said a special forces unit of the IRGC carried out a heliborne operation on the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries on Saturday, directing it toward Iran’s territory.

The vessel is operated by the Zodiac Maritime Shipping Company, which IRNA identified as partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer.

Iran media said the incident comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel over the latter’s “attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria on 1 April.”

The shipping company has yet to release the nationalities of the vessel’s 25 crew members.

“Israel is committed to defending itself against all threats and calls upon its allies and the international community to stand together in condemning Iran’s terror actions,” Fluss said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz said the Ayatollah regime in Iran is a criminal cohort of Hamas.

Iran attacked Israel by launching hundreds of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles or drones on the evening of 13 April. The Israel Defense Forces and a defense coalition of international partners managed to intercept and stop 99 percent of the launches.

Fluss said Israel had anticipated an Iranian offensive. He accused Iran of “funding, training, and providing weapons and missiles” to Hamas.

“This recent attack is yet another manifestation of Iran’s overt emergence as a state sponsor of terror,” he said. 

Israel is almost certain to retaliate at some stage, according to a geopolitical expert.

The United States, Israel’s top ally, called on Israel to refrain from a military response at a time when the region is already in turmoil over the Gaza war.

Despite the emasculated UN, nations of the world must act to prevent the Middle East situation from spinning out of control.

Even if Filipinos working in the Middle East temporarily return to the Philippines, the worsening of the conflict in the Middle East would likely result in a global economic downturn starting with prices of fuel rising to unprecedented levels.

Another crisis will have deep repercussions on the country if the government fails to anticipate its consequences.