Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) called President Trump twice Thursday, urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis as the Iran-backed group closed in on a vital Red Sea chokepoint, two U.S. officials told Axios. - Trump declined, and U.S. officials stressed the administration has no plans to intervene directly against the Houthis for now. Why it matters: Oil prices surged Thursday as the Houthis seized a strategic coastal city in Yemen, pushing them closer to the Bab al-Mandab Strait — a vital artery for global trade and Saudi oil exports. - With Iran already disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz , Houthi control of Bab al-Mandab could give Tehran a powerful new point of leverage over the U.S. and its…
Admiral Brad Cooper flew aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln over the weekend to address growing alarm over crew mental health and deteriorating conditions, but his carefully worded statement dodged the specifics that families and lawmakers are demanding. Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, visited the carrier in the north Arabian Sea […] The post CENTCOM admiral boards USS Abraham Lincoln as crew concerns mount after nine months at sea appeared first on American Almanac .
Admiral Brad Cooper flew aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln over the weekend to address growing alarm over crew mental health and deteriorating conditions, but his carefully worded statement dodged the specifics that families and lawmakers are demanding. Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, visited the carrier in the north Arabian Sea on Saturday and posted a lengthy statement to X on August 16. He acknowledged that the crew of roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines is exhausted after more than 260 days at sea, including more than 150 days in a combat zone, but stopped short of confirming or denying any specific problems aboard the ship. CBS News reported that Cooper made his remarks "without confirming or denying any…Open
Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of the U.S. Military Central Command, has reportedly recommended ending the bombing campaign in the Middle East, telling President Donald Trump the operation has reached the limits of its effectiveness. NewsNation's Hannah Brandt reported the latest from the White House. Get a fast-paced look at the latest from the border to Main Street to the White House on "NewsNation Live" with Nichole Berlie. Weekdays starting at 12p/11C. NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans.
The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, recommended stopping the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness, according to two sources with knowledge of his position. Why it matters: The recommendation by Cooper, the commander of the U.S. Military Central Command (CENTCOM), together with other advisers impacted President Trump's decision on Friday to pause U.S. strikes against Iran, the sources said. 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. Driving the news: For the first time in two weeks, Trump…
Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, appeared frustrated with questions from House Democrats who pressed him on a range of issues about the conflict.
U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper will testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday morning about President Trump‘s fiscal 2027 budget request and posture of the defense agency amid the Middle East conflict. The hearing comes as the temporary ceasefire before the U.S. and Iran is on shaky legs. The Trump administration has defended its operation in Tehran and both nations have failed to reach a deal on ending the more than two-month war. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, head of U.S. African Command will also face Senate questioning. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was also recently grilled over the war in back-to-back hearings last week. #bradcooper #centcom #budget
