Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma) — The federal government has launched an urgent evacuation operation to assist hundreds of Canadians stranded in the Middle East as the regional conflict intensifies. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed on Friday, March 6, 2026, that Ottawa has secured transportation for an initial group of 530 citizens, marking a significant escalation in Canada’s consular response to the ongoing war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The evacuation plan includes a specifically chartered flight scheduled to depart from Dubai to Istanbul on Saturday, carrying 180 Canadians. Additionally, the government has reserved approximately 350 seats on various commercial flights departing from both Dubai and Beirut over the coming days. This move comes as the number of Canadians seeking formal assistance to leave the region has surged to 3,500, a sharp increase from the 2,000 requests reported earlier this week.
“The situation is volatile and changing by the hour,” Minister Anand told reporters during a press briefing in Ottawa. She noted that while some airspaces remain partially open, others—such as those in Qatar and Israel—are fully closed, forcing the government to rely on complex ground alternatives. In Qatar, where over 9,000 Canadians are registered, officials are coordinating bus convoys to transport citizens across the border into Saudi Arabia. Similarly, Canadians in Israel are being directed to bus services heading toward Egypt to access operating international airports.
The logistical challenge is immense, with over 106,000 Canadians and permanent residents currently registered with Global Affairs across the Middle East. While the government had initially advised citizens to “shelter in place” and not rely solely on state-led evacuations, the deteriorating security situation—including the recent assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader and subsequent retaliatory strikes—has prompted a more direct intervention. Anand emphasized that the chartered flights are being offered on a cost-recovery basis and that Canada is working with allies like Australia and Britain to share remaining seats on evacuation assets.
As “Operation Epic Fury” continues to disrupt global travel and energy markets, Global Affairs Canada has deployed its Standing Rapid Deployment Team to neighbouring countries, including Turkey, Jordan, and Egypt, to assist those crossing land borders. The minister urged all Canadians still in the region to register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) service immediately to receive real-time security updates and evacuation instructions.
