CENTCOM chief believes US strikes around Hormuz no longer effective – Axios

Admiral Brad Cooper has reportedly told President Donald Trump that most designated bombing targets in southern Iran have already been struck The top US commander in the Middle East, Admiral Brad Cooper, has advised US President Donald Trump that striking Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz was no longer effective, Axios reported on Sunday, citing two people familiar with the matter.Cooper, who leads US Central Command (CENTCOM), reportedly told Trump that the designated bombing targets in the area had largely been exhausted. He added that there was no point in continuing the strikes unless the US returned to major combat operations, according to Axios.Trump paused the strikes on Friday, abruptly ending a 13-day bombing campaign amid reports that regional mediators were rushing to broker a new ceasefire. Several American news outlets reported that Trump was also concerned about dwindling stocks of interceptors used to counter Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks on bases across the Middle East. Trump, however, denied that the US was running short of ammunition. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint, remains closed to regular commercial shipping despite A...