DFA says Middle East conflict may last 4-8 weeks

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday floated the possibility of the tensions in the Middle East extending to up to eight weeks. 

DFA Assistant Secretary Germina Aguilar-Usudan said this during a hearing of the Senate committee on foreign relations when Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan asked for projections on how long the conflict between the United States and Israel will take. 

“Based on the reports from the various posts, we were informed that the US is trying to send more rockets to Iran, and then the (US) President (Donald Trump) is also trying to have a say on who will be the next leader of Iran. So, the projection from the reports that we received, it will take four weeks to eight weeks,” Aguilar-Usudan answered. 

“It’s not like the previous Israel-Iran war, which only took 12 days… We received reports that Iran would like to negotiate but it was discounted by the Iranian government and Trump has said yesterday that he’s more ready for war this time,” she added. 

The DFA official also said that the conflict may result in a “protracted war.” 

“We hope it will end soon, but based on the situation, I think it will be a protracted war. This is an unconventional war that’s why we are also doing unconventional assistance also to our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” Aguilar-Usudan said. 

LIVE UPDATES: Conflict in the Middle East (March 6, 2026)

Department of National Defense (DND) Assistant Secretary Jeffrey Hechanova, meanwhile, said that it would be hard to give an estimated timeline because the situation on the ground is rapidly evolving. 

“Due to the fluidity of the situation, as what we’ve discussed a while ago, mahirap po talagang magbigay ng (it’s difficult to give a) legitimate timeline because may (there is) action and counter-action po kasi ‘yung bawat (between the) countries. So the situation can change very fast,” he said.

Nevertheless, Hechanova assured that the DND is preparing response protocols on the matter. 

Philippine military and security officials earlier assured that tensions in the Middle East will have no direct threat to the country’s security. 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also urged all parties involved in the Middle East tensions to exercise restraint as he expressed hope for a swift ceasefire to end the hostilities. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News