How a US commander’s advice changed Trump’s Iran strategy to shelve strikes

1 min readNew DelhiJul 27, 2026 11:51 PM IST President Donald Trump speaks at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., during the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit. (Photo: AP) US President Donald Trump was reportedly determined to continue with the offensive military operations against Iran, but a top US military commander in the Middle East, Admiral Brad Cooper, recommended pausing the bombing campaign near the Strait of Hormuz as it has “reached its limit of effectiveness,” Axios reported. The report, citing two sources aware of the matter, told the news outlet that the recommendation by Cooper, who is the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), and other advisers together made an impact on President Trump’s decision to halt US strikes on Iran on Friday. © IE Onl