Manila, June 17 -- Seventeen Filipino local government officials, including mayors, are stranded in Israel where airspace and airports are closed due to Iran's retaliatory air raids, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirmed on Tuesday.

Fluss said the 17 are part of a Philippine delegation conducting a study visit to exchange best practices on dairy farming.

The 17, along with five other Filipino visitors, are in the Jewish state under the Israeli government's sponsorship.

"All of them are being taken care of by the Israeli government and we are also looking for ways to send them back to the Philippines -this is our responsibility and our commitment," Fluss told reporters in an interview.

"I can tell you that they are ...