MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos working and residing in Lebanon can opt for voluntary repatriation following the Philippines' decision to place the Middle Eastern country under Alert Level 3 due to the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon released an online form for Filipinos who want to be repatriated due to heightened tension in the country’s southern border. Casualties were reported along the Israel-Lebanon border Saturday as Israel’s army traded fire with Hezbollah amid fears of a new front opening while Israel battles Palestinian militant group Hamas. The Shiite military group Hezbollah is the only Lebanese faction to have kept its weapons after the 1975-1990 civil war, and now has an arsenal more powerful than the army's. Hezbollah fought a war with Israel in 2006 that left more than 1,200 dead in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 dead in Israel, mostly soldiers.
