US CENTCOM Commander Urges Renewed Strikes on Iran During Israel Visit

During a recent visit to Israel, US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper advocated for resuming military strikes against Iran, despite recent American calls to close all conflict fronts. Cooper met with Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other senior military leaders, urging attacks on Iran's national infrastructure, including gas, oil, and electricity facilities. He stated that such strikes would significantly impact Iran and potentially shift their current stance, which he described as unchanging under present conditions.

Cooper conveyed this position to his superior, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Cane, and it was also communicated to then-President Donald Trump. He warned Israeli officials that renewed conflict might be unavoidable and emphasized the need for joint operations. Concurrently, CENTCOM announced the formation of a drone strike force in cooperation with several Middle Eastern countries.

In related developments, an Iranian official told Reuters that there are no ongoing discussions about extending a ceasefire with the US, asserting that from Iran's perspective, the ceasefire never effectively began due to alleged US violations shortly after its initiation. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson responded by affirming that the Islamabad memorandum of understanding remains a signed agreement, though not yet implemented, and expressed hope for an extension of the 60-day deadline as dialogue resumes.