Global Affairs Canada has evacuated non-essential personnel and their families from its missions in Israel and the West Bank amid escalating military exchanges between Iran and Israel.
On Monday, four staff and 20 dependents were relocated from Tel Aviv and Ramallah to a third country deemed safe. While Canada’s embassy in Tel Aviv and its consular presence in Ramallah remain operational, officials say the situation is being monitored closely. Canada maintains no diplomatic or consular facilities in Iran.
“The safety and security of our staff is of utmost priority,” the department said in a statement. All personnel have been accounted for, including one embassy staffer who was directly impacted in Tel Aviv.
Since the start of hostilities Friday—triggered by Israel’s strike on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and the subsequent retaliatory barrage—no Canadian casualties have been reported. However, the Canadian government has updated its travel advisories, now urging citizens to avoid travel to Iran, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, and surrounding countries.
As of Monday, more than 80,000 Canadians were registered with the government’s Registration of Canadians Abroad system in the broader Middle East. That includes over 3,500 in Iran and more than 6,700 across Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Officials caution these numbers are based on voluntary registration and may not reflect current residency or need for assistance.
With commercial air travel suspended in Israel and Iranian airspace shut down, evacuation options are dwindling. Canadians in the region are advised to ensure their documents are up to date, stay informed via local media, and seek immediate shelter if air raid sirens are heard. U.S. citizens, meanwhile, have been offered exit routes through neighboring Turkey and Armenia, according to the U.S. State Department.
To prepare for further instability, Canada has deployed members of its Standing Rapid Deployment Team, trained to assist in emergencies involving consular support, crisis response, and logistics.
Trump, G7 React Amid Worsening Crisis
The broader international response continues to take shape. The G7 released a joint statement Tuesday reaffirming its stance that “Iran must never possess a nuclear weapon” and endorsing Israel’s right to self-defense. The bloc also urged de-escalation and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump cut short his participation at the G7 Summit in Canada to return to Washington, citing the urgency of the Iran-Israel confrontation. “We’re not looking for a ceasefire—we’re looking for something better,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump later posted a message on Truth Social declaring “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” and issued a veiled warning to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei:
“We’re not going to take him out—at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or our soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
He also called for the immediate evacuation of Tehran, following Israeli strikes that reportedly hit the headquarters of Iranian state television.
So far, the conflict has claimed at least 224 lives in Iran and 24 in Israel, according to official tallies from both governments. With tensions showing no sign of easing, Western governments remain on high alert—ready to act, and prepared for the worst.
