The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East recommended ending the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz after concluding it reached the limits of its effectiveness, a recommendation that helped shape President Donald Trump's decision to pause strikes against Iran, Axios reported Sunday. Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, advised Pentagon leaders, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the White House last week that two weeks of sustained airstrikes had weakened Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the strategic waterway, multiple sources familiar with the discussions said. His assessment, combined with advice from other senior military officials, influenced Trump's decision Friday to suspend strikes targeting Iranian positions along Iran's southern coast and around the Strait of Hormuz. The move marked the first pause in nearly two weeks of continuous military operations and reflected growing recognition among military commanders and civilian advisers that additional airstrikes would produce diminishing returns without a broader escalation of the conflict. Trump made the decision following a meeting Friday with senior national security advisers and military officials, who presented updated operational plans for the day's strikes. According to sources familiar with the deliberations, the president had been leaning toward expanding combat operations earlier in the week, but began reconsidering that approach Thursday evening before formally deciding to halt the strikes. Cooper told administration officials that most of the military's designated targets in the Strait of Hormuz region had already been struck, leaving relatively few remaining objectives. According to the sources, the admiral said the U.S. could return to major combat operations to destroy roughly 20% of targets originally identified during Operation Epic Fury that were not attacked during the initial campaign.
However, absent a decision to significantly escalate military operations, Cooper argued there was little value in continuing the limited bombing campaign that had been underway. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesman, declined to comment on Cooper's recommendations. The pause in strikes also came as military leaders warned about broader operational challenges. According to the sources, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, privately cautioned War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump that dwindling supplies of air-defense interceptors could reduce the military's ability to defend U.S. forces and regional allies if the conflict intensified. A spokesman for the chairman declined to comment on "confidential military advice the chairman provides the president." While military operations have slowed, diplomatic efforts continue, Axios reported. Iran and Oman remain engaged in negotiations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz under an arrangement intended to ensure that commercial vessels can transit the shipping lane without coming under attack.
It remains unclear whether any agreement negotiated between Tehran and Muscat would satisfy the Trump administration. If negotiations fail or Washington rejects the proposed terms, the fighting could resume. For now, officials described the military situation as a "quiet for quiet" arrangement, with both sides refraining from launching new attacks while diplomatic contacts continue. Meanwhile, the U.S. and the U.K. are continuing discussions on convening an international conference later this week to establish a multinational coalition focused on protecting commercial shipping and clearing naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz. Officials have not announced a date for the meeting. Brian Freeman ✉Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television. © 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved. |
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