US Military Commander Recommends Halting Hormuz Bombing Campaign

Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of the US Military Central Command (CENTCOM), recommended stopping the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness, according to two sources with knowledge of his position. The recommendation was made due to the significant degradation of Iran's ability to attack ships in the area after two weeks of strikes.

The decision by President Trump to pause US strikes against Iranian targets came after a meeting with top advisers and military officials who presented him with a new strike plan for the day. The president had been leaning toward returning to major combat operations, but his mindset started to change on Thursday evening, sources said.

Admiral Cooper stressed that the designated bombing targets had been mostly exhausted and a possible next step would be to resume major combat operations to finish the remaining targets. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine also cautioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump in private that a shortage of air defense interceptors could hamper the ability to protect US forces and allies in the region.