A small group of Canadian military members deployed on exchange with U.S. forces in the Middle East are still on duty but have been reassigned to different tasks unrelated to operations against Iran, according to the Department of National Defence. Up to 18 Canadians are stationed at various American command centers in the region, such as the air operations center in Qatar, the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, and the Central Command in Tampa, Florida. The Defense Department stated that Canadian Armed Forces personnel in the Middle East are carrying out their regular duties not linked to U.S. activities in the area.
The department emphasized that the Canadian military is not involved in Operation Epic Fury, a joint U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran, and that Canadians did not participate in the planning phase. General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, mentioned that Canadians have specific limitations on their roles before going on exchange missions.
Retired major-general Denis Thompson, a former senior commander familiar with the region, suggested that due to the nature of their assignments, it is probable that Canadian personnel were aware of the planning and coordination efforts due to the large U.S. military presence in the region. The Defense Department hinted that the Canadians might have been excluded from the planning process by the host nation’s discretion.
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that neither Canada nor its allies were informed in advance by the Trump administration or Israel about the attack that commenced on Saturday. The Defense Department confirmed that Canadian Armed Forces members require government approval to participate in foreign military operations.
Questions regarding the timing of when Canadian military personnel were instructed to undertake alternative duties have been posed to the department, but no response has been provided yet. The exchange officers’ responsibilities, as outlined on the Defense Department’s website, include serving as liaisons between the Canadian and American militaries.
Inquiries about potential advance warnings through military channels and the status of aerospace controllers involved in the exchange program, responsible for coordinating air traffic in the Middle East, have not been addressed by the department. However, the department assured that all Canadian personnel in the region are safe and have been identified.
