Canadian police have stated that there is currently no immediate danger to Canada following the consequences of the United States' strike on Iran. This information was updated on March 1, 2026 at 4:01PM EST.
Date of publication: March 01, 2026 at 11:57AM EST
Trump has announced a joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, referring to it as "major combat operations." The prime minister of Canada, Carney, expressed explicit support for this attack, which some see as a significant change in targeting compared to previous attacks. Ham characterized the U.S. attack on Iran as a "war of choice," while Ret. Gen. suggested that Canada would play a limited role in the Middle East conflict following the attack. Despite ongoing conflict in Iran, Canadian police chiefs have stated that there are currently no immediate threats to Canada or its citizens.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has advised Canadians to stay alert, but has mentioned that there are currently no alerts indicating issues as the airstrikes in Iran continue for a second day.
History has shown that times of political conflict can lead to extremist groups, individuals driven by hate, or other threats taking advantage of the situation to provoke violence fueled by hate. Despite the lack of a particular threat currently, being alert and reporting any suspicious activity early on are key for preventing such incidents.
Over the weekend, the United States and Israel carried out a significant military operation in the Middle East, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The police leaders have issued a statement regarding concerns raised by experts about potential transnational repression. There are worries that the Islamic Republic might target individuals within the Iranian diaspora as a form of retaliation.
Located to the north of Toronto, a boxing gym belonging to a well-known Iranian Canadian activist was targeted in a shooting incident during the night.
Salar Gholami, the main person in charge of organizing large protests in Iran, has reported that his gym in Thornhill, Ontario was shot at with 17 bullets. This gym has been a central location for planning and coordinating solidarity marches for Iran.
He expressed that the windows were shattered and bullets had pierced through the walls, reaching the concrete. According to spokesperson Pouria Afkhami, he mentioned that this indicates that the area is no longer secure for Canadians.
According to Gholami, he thinks his gym was singled out because of his advocacy work, and he claimed that those behind the shooting are associated with the Islamic Republic. He mentioned that he receives frequent threats against his safety.
Authorities are currently looking into a shooting incident that took place at a business location in the region. However, the reason behind the shooting has not yet been determined.
During Khamenei's leadership, Iran was known for responding aggressively to Western countries through cyberattacks targeting important infrastructure, harassment online, and attempts to assassinate individuals.
According to Thomas Juneau, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa's school of public and international affairs, Canada should pay attention to transnational repression and the persecution of Iranian-Canadian dissidents, as well as human rights and democracy advocates.
Juneau stated that in order to survive at home, it is important to counter any activism against the regime happening abroad. It is unlikely that these two aspects can be separated.
According to Sajjan Gohel, who is the director of international security at the Asia Pacific Foundation, Iran may potentially use its connections with organized crime groups to threaten and harm the Iranian diaspora, possibly even attempting to carry out acts of violence.
Iran has responded to the airstrikes carried out by the U.S. and Israel by launching missile and drone attacks on both Israel and Arab Gulf countries that have U.S. troops stationed there.
Countless travelers have been left in chaos as the conflict in the region has caused major disruptions to air travel in the Middle East.
Air Canada has decided to stop operating flights from Canada to Tel Aviv until March 8, as well as suspending flights to Dubai until Tuesday.
The airline advises against going to the airport if you are located in either of these regions.
The biggest flight hub in Canada, Toronto's Pearson Airport, is alerting travelers about potential delays and flight cancellations because of extensive airspace closures. They recommend that passengers confirm the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
The dispute has caused the closure of airports and international airspace over multiple countries including Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
Authorities at Dubai International Airport, which is the biggest airport in the United Arab Emirates and among the most hectic globally, announced that four individuals sustained injuries. Moreover, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi stated that one person had died and seven others were injured due to a drone attack. Similar incidents were also noted at Kuwait International Airport.
Over 1,800 flights were called off on Sunday, affecting countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt. It is likely that there will be more flight cancellations in the following days.
Canada is advising people to stay away from traveling to certain areas in the Middle East due to the recent conflict that started on Saturday. These areas include Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, Iran, Syria, and Yemen.
Canadians are being advised to refrain from traveling to Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan for reasons that are not considered essential.
The information was provided by Kathryn Mannie of The Canadian Press.
Information has been obtained from The Associated Press.
On March 1, 2026, The Canadian Press released this report for the first time.
Copyright 2026 BellMedia. All rights reserved.
Accessibility & Support information can be found here on this website. Learn more about Bell Media and explore other brands as well. Discover