Canadian Special Ops Deployed to Israel
According to a Global News article, Canada has sent a small team of Canadian special operations forces to Israel. According to the Global News article, the information was received from multiple sources with direct knowledge of the mission.
Joint Task Force 2 is an elite Tier 1 special operations force of the Canadian Armed Forces, serving under the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. Serving as the centrepiece of Canadian special operations, JTF 2 is primarily tasked with counter-terrorism operations, both domestic and abroad, and specializes in direct action, special reconnaissance and surveillance, hostage rescue, protective security, foreign internal defence and other high-value tasks.
READ: Feature Interview – VAdm Bob Auchterlonie – Commander CJOC
Canadian special forces members are in Israel helping Canada's embassy there with "contingency planning," a Department of National Defence spokesperson confirmed to CBC News on Sunday.
On October 21st Minister Blair & DND released a statement regarding the explosion at Al Ahli Arab Hospital on October 17. The statement read:
“Canada is deeply saddened by the loss of life caused by the explosion at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza on October 17, 2023. We reiterate our sincere condolences to all those who lost loved ones.
“In order to determine what happened, the Prime Minister asked me to task the Canadian Armed Forces with preparing an independent review and analysis of the explosion. The Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM) undertook that review and analysis. Today, after briefing the Prime Minister, I am releasing its findings.
“Analysis conducted independently by the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command indicates with a high degree of confidence that Israel did not strike the hospital on October 17, 2023. The more likely scenario is that the strike was caused by an errant rocket fired from Gaza. We will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.”
In August 2021, JTF-2 and CSOR operators were deployed to Afghanistan to evacuate staff from the Canadian Embassy in Kabul.
In May 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Ukraine to show solidarity and to witness the war for himself, alongside members of the cabinet. As part of the security detail, they were accompanied by members of JTF 2.
