A former high-ranking Canadian military official suggests that Canadian military members participating in exchanges with the United States likely had some involvement in the planning and coordination of airstrikes on Iran, a claim disputed by the Department of National Defence.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed his support for the U.S. efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. During his visit to India, he stated that Canada is not directly engaged in military operations and that the government was not part of the military preparations.
However, the fate of exchange officers serving with the U.S. military was not specifically addressed in his statement.
According to information on the Department of National Defence website, up to 18 Canadian Armed Forces personnel are attached to Operation Foundation, stationed at the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and the Combined Aerospace Operations Center (CAOC) in Qatar.
Their role, as outlined by the DND, is to facilitate communication between the headquarters and the CAF, with those at CAOC overseeing aerospace control units.
In a statement released late on Sunday, the Department of National Defence clarified that Canadian military members had no involvement in the U.S. Operation Epic Fury, including its planning.
Considerations for Exchange Officers
Initially, the Defence Department did not respond to inquiries regarding the status of these personnel when questioned by CBC News. An official later cited email issues as the reason for the delayed response.
The Department has yet to address whether the exchange officers were instructed to step back or assume a different role, or if they were excluded from the U.S. campaign planning.
Any directives to restrict their involvement would have required a political decision.
Retired Major-General Denis Thompson, who held command roles during the Afghan war and peacekeeping missions, highlighted the longstanding practice of Canadian service members participating in exchanges with the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
Thompson explained, “Unless the Canadian government explicitly prohibits direct engagement in the conflict, the officers attached to another military and endorsed by the prime minister would likely be actively involved in the targeting process.”
He noted that Canada has personnel from all three military branches attached to CENTCOM, including staff officers at the Combined Aerospace Operations Center involved in targeting.
Extensive Airstrikes at Onset of Attack
Canada has previously faced similar situations. While the government under former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien opted out of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, over 100 exchange officers serving with American and British forces were permitted to continue their roles.
Air campaigns led by American and Israeli warplanes began early Saturday, with data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) indicating nearly 900 strikes were conducted on Iranian targets within the first 12 hours.
According to a U.S. official cited by Fox News, Israel targeted 500 sites within Iran, spanning 17 provinces in simultaneous attacks.
