Strike on Kuwait military hub was not made public by feds

The federal government is facing scrutiny over the delayed public disclosure of an Iranian missile strike on a military hub in Kuwait where Canadian Armed Forces personnel are deployed. Reports of the strike, which occurred on March 1 at the Ali Al-Salem Air Base, first surfaced in La Presse on Thursday.

Kuwait Missile Strike and Government Response

According to reports, the Ali Al-Salem Air Base is also home to a significant number of American military personnel. Canadian military members stationed at the base were not harmed in the incident.

Prime Minister Mark Carney was questioned about the delayed notification to Canadians during a press conference in Yellowknife, N.W.T. on Thursday, but he did not directly address the timing of the disclosure. “I’m not the only spokesperson for the government, but I just confirm that members of the Canadian Forces are all safe and sound,” Carney said. He reiterated that Canada is not involved in offensive actions alongside the U.S. and Israel.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand stated she had no additional information to share while speaking with the media on Parliament Hill. She noted that Defence Minister McGuinty is closely monitoring the situation and affirmed that all Canadian personnel have been accounted for.

While Canadian troops are not directly involved in the conflict in Iran, some Canadian military personnel are stationed in the Middle East, including in Kuwait.

The Department of National Defence acknowledged reports of strikes near Ali Al Salem Air Base but declined to confirm the details of the incident in a statement to CTV News. “For operational security reasons, we do not discuss assessments of damage or impacts to military facilities,” the statement read. The department confirmed that all Canadian Armed Forces personnel in the region are safe.

Conservative defence critic James Bezan criticized Carney and his government, alleging “an ongoing lack of transparency” regarding the war in Iran. “For this to happen without the transparency that’s owed to Canadians… is really shameful that the government didn’t say anything,” Bezan said.

CTV News has contacted McGuinty’s office for further comment.