Axios reported on July 26, citing two informed sources, that Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), advised the White House and the Pentagon to halt the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz before Donald Trump decided to suspend strikes against Iran, arguing that the operation had reached the limit of its effectiveness.
According to the report, Cooper’s recommendation, alongside assessments from other military and civilian advisers, played a key role in Trump’s decision on Friday to suspend U.S. strikes against Iran. Axios noted that this consensus reflected an acknowledgement among the U.S. president’s advisers that military operations, particularly the air campaign, have clear limitations.
Axios wrote that, for the first time in two weeks, Trump ordered a halt to strikes on Iranian targets along the country’s southern coast and in the Strait of Hormuz region. This decision came following a meeting with senior military and security officials to review a revised strike plan.
According to the outlet’s sources, Trump had favoured resuming broad military operations until late Thursday evening, but his position shifted, leading to the final decision on Friday to halt the bombardment.
