CENTCOM Chief Recommended Halting Hormuz Strikes After Campaign Reached Effectiveness Limit: Report

TAMPA, Jul 26: US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper advised ending the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz after determining that continued strikes had reached the limit of their effectiveness, Axios reported on Sunday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

According to the report, Cooper’s assessment influenced President Donald Trump’s decision to pause US strikes against Iran on Friday.

The sources said Cooper told officials that two weeks of US military operations had significantly reduced Iran’s ability to target shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, while most of the identified targets had already been hit.

The report said the remaining options included either resuming major combat operations to strike the remaining 20% of targets identified by the US military but not hit during Operation Epic Fury, or ending the current bombing campaign.

Cooper reportedly argued that without a decision to escalate back into major combat operations, continuing the same level of strikes conducted over the previous two weeks would have limited value.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global energy route, and military activity in the area has raised concerns over threats to commercial shipping and regional stability.