US top military commander recommended stopping bombing campaign around Strait of Hormuz: Report
Washington DC, July 27
The commander of the US Central Command, Adm Brad Cooper, had recommended stopping the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz, noting that it has reached the limit of its effectiveness, Axios reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
According to the report by Axios citing the sources, it mentioned that the recommendation by Adm Cooper comes along with several other advisers- civil and military- which impacted US President Donald Trump's decision on Friday to put a halt to the American military strikes against Iran.
It was an acknowledgement by both military and civilian advisers to the president that there are limits to what can be accomplished through military action, and specifically an air power campaign.
Meanwhile, it noted that the CENTCOM commander said a possible next step would be to resume major combat operations to finish the 20% of targets the U.S. military designated but didn't strike during Operation Epic Fury.
He, however, stressed that there was no point in continuing the bombing campaign of the previous two weeks, the sources said.
Sources also said that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, also cautioned Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and President Trump in private that a shortage of air defence interceptors could hamper the ability to protect U.S. forces and allies in the region.
His warning was first reported by the New York Times. However, a spokesman for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff declined to comment "on confidential military advice the Chairman provides the President".
As per Axios, the decision came after a meeting with top advisers and military officials who presented him with a new strike plan for the day. Citing sources it noted that prior to the meeting, Trump had been leaning toward returning to major combat operations, but his mindset started to change on Thursday evening.
Cooper noted that the designated bombing targets had been mostly exhausted.
The halt in strikes comes as Iran and Oman continue to hold discussions on the arrangement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and the talks have progressed positively and entered into their second day now, CBS reported, citing two regional sources.
The CBS report further observed that the Iranian military said it halted retaliatory attacks against American allies in West Asia, after Washington paused its strikes on Iran for the last two nights.
As the situation continues to evolve in the region, the US and UK are still discussing the international conference they want to convene later this week on establishing a coalition to protect and clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, although no final date for the meeting has been set.
Meanwhile, CNN reported that the Pentagon updated its war casualty database on Saturday, recording more than 140 additional wounded and restoring the four soldiers killed due to Iranian strikes last week amid questions about a lack of transparency over the war's toll.
According to CNN, when the new Pentagon data is combined with updated totals for Operation Epic Fury, 18 troops have died, and another 624 have been wounded since the beginning of the conflict against Iran on February 28 this year. The number of wounded is a significant increase from the previous peak of 482 observed by CNN last week.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The US military brass showing wisdom while politicians play games. Shock and awe doesn't work anymore, especially against Iran's dispersed underground bunkers. Good on Adm Cooper for being honest about the limits of air power. Our Indian military analysts should study this carefully.
As a Westerner living in India, I find the contrast fascinating. While America rushes to bomb, India talks and trades. The Straits of Hormuz issue affects everyone's oil prices though. Let's hope the Iran-Oman talks bear fruit – dialogue beats missiles any day. 🕊️
One question: if the bombing was ineffective, why did it take so long to realize? The article mentions 18 US troops dead and 624 wounded in Operation Epic Fury – that's a heavy price for 'limited effectiveness'. Our defense planners in New Delhi must be taking notes on what NOT to do.
I'm from the UK and we're supposedly discussing a coalition to clear mines from the Strait. But if the US can't even protect its own forces (shortage of air defense interceptors!), how can anyone guarantee safe passage? This is why India's multi-alignment strategy is so smart – don't put all eggs in one basket.
Respect to the military advisors who dared to say 'enough is enough.' But I'm worried about the human cost – 624 wounded is devastating. India should use its good offices with both Iran and the US to push for de-escalation. We need the Strait open, but not at the cost of more lives.
<
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.