Canada Comes to Its Senses on Iran

On Wednesday, Justin Trudeau’s government announced its decision to back a resolution under discussion in the Canadian parliament that calls for the immediate cessation of “any and all negotiation or discussions” with Tehran, designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity, and condemns Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s calls for the genocide of the Jews. Sohrab Ahmari comments:

[Trudeau’s] support for the resolution marked a striking about-face. Trudeau had campaigned for restoring Ottawa’s ties with Tehran, severed in 2012 by the previous, Conservative government. . . .

It turns out that even the Trudeau-led Canadian Liberals have their limits when it comes to dealing with the Islamic Republic. As the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported, Ottawa dispatched two diplomatic missions in 2017 to explore a rapprochement. But there were two stumbling blocks. The Iranians insisted that their country should be removed from Canada’s list of terror-sponsoring nations, and the Canadians were determined to free various hostages held by the regime. The Iranians were apparently immovable on the matter of the hostages and the Canadians were, in turn, unwilling to deny the basic truth about Iran’s role in sponsoring international terror.

Passage of the resolution doesn’t mean Canada is rethinking its support for Barack Obama’s nuclear deal. But it underscores Iran’s growing isolation as a new generation of Western leaders comes to learn that there are no “moderates” and “hardliners” in Tehran—only tyrants and terrorists.

Read more at Commentary

More about: Canada, Iran, Justin Trudeau, Politics & Current Affairs

Hizballah Is Learning Israel’s Weak Spots

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.

Read more at Ynet

More about: Hizballah, Iron Dome, Israeli Security