#middle-east

Ongoing attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on commercial shipping in the Red Sea are testing international naval coalitions and disrupting global trade, with significant consequences for Canada. The deployment of Canadian frigate HMCS Charlottetown to the region highlights the country's military commitment to securing vital maritime corridors. Meanwhile, Canadian businesses face rising shipping costs and supply chain delays as vessels are forced to reroute around Africa. The crisis underscores the vulnerability of global trade arteries and strains the resources of the Royal Canadian Navy amid growing geopolitical instability worldwide.

Fears of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah are escalating, prompting Canada to prepare for a massive evacuation of its citizens from Lebanon. Following intensified cross-border strikes and increasingly aggressive rhetoric, international mediators are scrambling to prevent a wider conflict. Ottawa has urged all Canadians to leave Lebanon while commercial flights are available and has deployed military planners to the region. The situation is particularly urgent for Canada due to the estimated 45,000 registered Canadian citizens in the country, many of whom are dual nationals, raising the spectre of Canada's largest-ever civilian evacuation.