OTTAWA—Escalating violence between Israel and militants in Gaza could be the “spark” that ignites more serious conflict, Defence Minister Peter MacKay says.

Rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel, including in a fatal attack on Thursday, and Israel’s assassination of a prominent Hamas leader and ongoing airstrikes have many fearing broader military action.

“The last 24 hours have demonstrated the degree of volatility that people in the region are facing,” MacKay said in an interview Thursday.

“Having a rocket strike so close to Tel Aviv, lives lost. This is the type of spark that can have all kinds of extremely serious consequences in a region that ... some would describe as on a slow boil,” he said.

Thursday’s rocket attacked killed Israelis and wounded four others. The Israeli government says that since Saturday, 395 rockets have been launched at civilian targets in Israel. Israel has begun mobilizing troops and authorized the call-up of reservists, setting the stage for a possible invasion of the Palestinian territory, the Associated Press reports.

The Israeli government said that 11 Palestinians had been killed, though it said seven of them were “involved in terrorist or hostile military activity. Another 80 Palestinians have been wounded.

The violence comes in a region already on edge because of Syria’s violent crackdown on rebel opponents and Iran’s refusal to comply with United Nations resolutions on its nuclear program.

“I think you always have to be worried given the actors and the declarations. You can’t have a discussion about Israel and the region without including Iran and their nuclear ambitions,” MacKay said.

“The fact that you have already a country like Syria involved in military action by the government against their own people. There is a spillover effect, not only for Israel, but we’re seeing the impact in Turkey,” he said.

“There’s a lot that can keep you awake at night and the consequences are dire. That’s what’s on the table,” MacKay said.

All that is sure to dominate discussions this weekend as security experts, academics, military leaders, politicians gather for the Halifax International Security Forum.

As forum host, MacKay said he’s pleased with the stature that the forum has taken on in just four years, attracting a heavyweight cast of speakers that this year includes U.S. Senator John McCain, Gen. Tom Lawson, Canada’s chief of defence staff, Gary Doer, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, and Abdul Wardak, former defence minister in Afghanistan.

“It is really the preeminent security conference place to meet now for North America,” MacKay said.

Military commander David Petraeus had been among the scheduled speakers until revelations of an extra-marital affair abruptly ended his career as director of the Central Intelligence Agency last week.

MacKay said the tale is “playing out like a Greek tragedy,” given Petraeus’ “incredible military experience” in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

“He was highly respected, seen as a very, very competent leader ... so it’s very, very unfortunate for him, his family, unfortunate for the American forces, the CIA. Everyone loses,” he said.

MacKay was just back from a weekend visit to Afghanistan, where he spent Remembrance Day with Canadian soldiers involved in helping train Afghan troops.

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MacKay says he saw “significant change but also significant challenge.”

The defence minister said he was buoyed by the growing professionalism, capability and size of the Afghan security force, noting that three-quarters of all solders providing security now are Afghan.

“The transition is really well underway. The quintessential question is will it hold,” he said.

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