Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), recommended ending the air campaign around the Strait of Hormuz, according to an Axios report by Barak Ravid citing two informed sources. The report said Admiral Cooper assessed that the operation had reached the limits of its effectiveness and that continuing the strikes under current conditions would be unlikely to produce significant additional military gains. The report comes after US President Donald Trump reportedly decided on Sunday to halt air strikes against Iran following consultations with senior military commanders and civilian advisers. The strikes had continued for nearly two weeks without interruption. According to the two sources cited by Axios, Admiral Cooper’s recommendation reflected a broader assessment shared by US military and civilian officials that military force—particularly a campaign centred on air strikes—has limitations and cannot, on its own, achieve all of Washington’s strategic objectives.
