Admiral Brad Cooper has recommended that the US cease its strikes on the Strait of Hormuz area
Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of US Central Command, has recommended that the country’s military and political leadership halt the campaign of strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, as he believes it has reached the limits of its effectiveness. According to Axios, citing sources, this recommendation, together with advice from other military and civilian advisers, influenced US President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend American strikes against Iran.
On Friday, following a meeting with military leaders and advisers who had presented a new strike plan, Trump ordered a hold on attacks against targets on Iran’s southern coast and in the Strait of Hormuz area. According to the publication’s sources, just a few days earlier the President had been inclined to resume large-scale military operations; however, on Thursday evening his position began to shift, and by Friday the decision to suspend the air strikes had been finalised.
Earlier this week, Brad Cooper submitted his recommendations to the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the White House. He emphasised that two weeks of strikes in the Strait of Hormuz area had significantly weakened Iran’s ability to attack ships, and that most of the targets designated for bombing had already been hit.
According to the CENTCOM commander’s assessment, the next step could be a return to a large-scale military operation to strike approximately 20 per cent of the designated targets that were not attacked during Operation ‘Epic Fury’. If no decision is taken to resume large-scale combat operations, he believes that continuing the campaign in its current form makes no sense.
At the same time, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kane, warned Defence Secretary Pete Hegset and President Donald Trump in private consultations that a shortage ofinterceptor missiles for air defence systems could complicate the protection of US troops and allies in the region.
Iran and Oman are continuing negotiations on a new agreement to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz without attacks on vessels. At the same time, it remains unclear whether such an agreement would satisfy the US president. According to Axios’s sources, the situation is currently characterised by the principle of ‘silence in response to silence’, as both sides have suspended their attacks.
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz stated on NBC that Donald Trump is “keeping all options open”, whilst leaving room for negotiations with Iran. According to him, contacts between the parties are continuing at various levels.
Meanwhile, the US and the UK are continuing to discuss holding an international conference aimed at forming a coalition to ensure the safety of shipping and the clearance of mines in the Strait of Hormuz. A final date for the meeting has not yet been set.
