#夏日创作营 Top U.S. commander in the Middle East: recommends stopping the bombing of the Hormuz area; the next step may be to resume large-scale combat operations to complete the remaining 20% of the unstruck targets in “Operation Epic Rage”

On July 26 local time, two sources said that U.S. Central Command commander Brad Cooper advised stopping the bombing operations around the Strait of Hormuz because the campaign has reached its limit of effectiveness. Sources said that Cooper’s advice, along with that of other advisors, influenced U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on the 24th to pause U.S. strikes against Iran. Both Trump’s military and civilian advisers acknowledged that the goals achievable through military action—especially airpower operations—are limited.

Sources said that for the first time in two weeks, Trump ordered a ceasefire. The decision was made after meetings with senior advisers and military officials. In the days before the meeting, Trump had continued to lean toward resuming major combat operations, but his mindset began to shift on the evening of the 23rd, and the decision to stop bombing the strait was consolidated on the 24th.

Sources said that earlier this week, Cooper put forward his recommendation to the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the White House. He emphasized that the two-week airstrikes in the Strait of Hormuz area had significantly weakened Iran’s ability to attack shipping. Cooper pointed out that the designated bombing targets had basically been destroyed. Without a decision to resume large-scale combat operations, continuing the bombing campaign from the past two weeks would be meaningless.

Cooper stressed that the next possible move is to restore large-scale combat operations to complete the remaining 20% of the unstruck targets in “Operation Epic Rage” by the U.S. military.