Iran's attack 'could trigger uncontrollable regional tensions': G7

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OTTAWA – Iran's attack on Israel over the weekend represents another step toward destabilizing the Middle East and could spark “uncontrollable regional tensions,” Canadian and G7 leaders said Sunday by video conference.

Leaders of the Group of Seven democratic nations condemned Iran's decision to target Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles “in the strongest possible terms”, calling it a “direct and unprecedented attack”.

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Israel, with the help of its allies, prevented a barrage with minimal casualties.

“We extend our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people, and reaffirm our commitment to its security,” the G7 leaders said in a statement released by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office.

“We will continue to work to stabilize the situation and prevent further escalation. In that spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies end their attacks, and we stand ready to take additional measures now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives.”

US President Joe Biden had previously said he was calling the meeting to coordinate a joint diplomatic response to the attack, which he described as “brutal”.

Iran has fired about 300 rockets and drones at targets inside Israel, but Israeli officials say the country and its allies have intercepted about 99 percent of them. Iran then announced the end of the operation.

Defense Minister Bill Blair said on Twitter earlier Sunday that he was receiving regular updates from the Canadian Forces and would “continue to monitor the situation closely.”

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Israel's ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, said late Sunday that while his country does not want war, it will respond to ensure Tehran does not strike again.

Canada's political parties were united in their condemnation of Iran after the overnight attack.

Trudeau said Canada condemned the attack in a region embroiled in a six-month war between Israel and Hamas.

“These attacks demonstrate once again the Iranian regime's disregard for peace and stability in the region,” Trudeau said in a statement released shortly after the attack. “We support Israel's right to defend itself and its people against these attacks.”

Tensions between Israel and Iran escalated after an airstrike blamed on Israel destroyed Iran's consulate in Syria and killed two Iranian generals. Tehran vowed revenge.

Israel closed its airspace on Saturday in anticipation of Iranian attacks, and booms and air raid sirens were heard across the country early Sunday morning.

Israeli army spokesman General Daniel Hagari said Iran had fired numerous drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, the vast majority of which were intercepted outside Israel's borders.

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In Washington, Biden said US forces had helped Israel shoot down “almost all” of its drones and missiles. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the British Air Force had shot down several Iranian drones.

Leah Appel woke up around 1:45 a.m. Sunday to feel gunshots in her Jerusalem apartment building.

“It felt like 1,000 tons of weight fell on the apartment above our apartment, and our whole room was shaking,” the Montreal resident said in a phone interview.

I said (to my husband Musa): “What is this?” He opened the window, there was only fire in the sky.

That's when the sirens started and the couple and their two children carried a bag of clothes, food and necessities to the apartment's bomb shelter.

Francis Weil, president of the Moncton Jewish community, said Sunday that he has relatives in Jerusalem and Netanya on the Mediterranean coast.

“Last night they sent messages saying they were scared, but this morning they felt a huge sense of relief and a big, big weight off their shoulders,” he said.

The news of the attack on Israel in Tehran came as a surprise to Alireza Gandhi.

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The Richmond Hill resident, who was visiting his parents, said the mood was dire, worried that Israel would retaliate overnight.

“The people are tensed and worried about the Israeli attack,” he said. “Hopefully things will calm down.”

Israel and Iran have clashed throughout Israel's war against Hamas militants in Gaza.

In the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the current conflict, Iran-backed Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants killed 1,200 people and kidnapped another 250 in Israel. Israel's subsequent offensive in Gaza caused widespread destruction and killed more than 33,000 people, according to local health officials.

In a statement, the G7 leaders pledged to strengthen cooperation to end the crisis, including an “immediate and permanent ceasefire,” the release of Hamas hostages and increased humanitarian aid to Palestinians in need.

Ottawa has faced pressure in recent months to designate a branch of Iran's military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as a terrorist organization.

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Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilevre called on Canada to work with its allies to hold Iran accountable.

“The Canadian government must immediately ban the Tehran-controlled terrorist group, the IRGC, to protect our people and to stop the regime from using our country for fundraising, planning and coordination,” he said in a written statement on Saturday.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh condemned the “significant escalation of Iran's attack on Israel.”

“Many innocent people have been killed in the region – this is unacceptable,” wrote Singh X. “Canada must do everything it can to de-escalate the situation.”

The United Nations Secretary General called for an “immediate end to these hostilities” and condemned Iran's attack internationally.

Moed warned in an interview that Israel “will retaliate if we are hit.” And our intention is to ensure that those who hit us do not do it again.”

“We don't want to get stronger. We don't want to go to war,” said the ambassador. “But we want to make sure our enemies don't think about using force against us.”

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Moed would not elaborate on the timing or nature of Israel's response to the Iranian attack.

Air Canada canceled its flight from Toronto to Tel Aviv on Saturday, citing “regulatory restrictions beyond the government's or our control.”

Israel closed its airspace during the overnight attack and reopened it at 7:30 a.m. local time — 12:30 p.m. Toronto.

Air Canada decided to cancel flights for at least a few more days.

“Due to recent events in the Middle East, operations to and from Tel Aviv are now temporarily suspended,” Christophe Hennebelle said in an email on Sunday.

The airline's scheduled Thursday Toronto-Tel Aviv flight will remain on schedule.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and will adjust accordingly,” Hennebel said.

Air Canada recently resumed nonstop flights to Tel Aviv after being suspended in October.

United Airlines, which canceled its flight from New Jersey to Tel Aviv on Saturday, was the only other major North American carrier to resume direct flights to Israel.

With files from Nicole Thompson and The Associated Press in Toronto.

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