All articles tagged with #centcom
Adm. Brad Cooper, Centcom commander, visited the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East after a long deployment, praising the crew and noting the mission’s intensity, while reports of poor ship conditions and the deployment extension have prompted Democratic calls for an official bipartisan visit and oversight of the carrier.
U.S. Central Command says a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the rudder of the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman to stop it from bypassing the Iranian ports embargo, disabling its steering gear and prompting the crew to transfer to another vessel; no casualties were reported. The incident comes amid tense US-Iran talks and reports of a potential near-deal, with some officials noting President Trump might declare victory without a nuclear agreement.
Two officials told The Intercept that the Pentagon’s 2025 Annual Report on Civilian Casualties, covering Yemen, Iran, Somalia and boat strikes, reads as a “joke” and “whitewash” despite acknowledging hundreds of civilian deaths. Yemen’s Rough Rider campaign is cited as 153 civilians killed and about 250 wounded by the Pentagon, though Yemen Data Project tallies reach 238 dead and 467 injured, with three incidents likely harmed civilians and 15 more under review. CENTCOM’s civilian-harm team has been cut from 40 to 9, fueling concerns about tracking and mitigation. The report excludes Iran’s current war data, and critics argue the CHMR program has been gutted, undermining civilian protection responsibilities.
The US Central Command circulated an email to military analysts soliciting “creative and unconventional” ways to pressure Iran, signaling a crowdsourced rethink of options as the Trump administration weighs tougher action. Officials say CENTCOM is reevaluating strategy amid ongoing strikes and acknowledge that bombing alone is unlikely to force Tehran to concessions; discussed options reportedly include intensified bombardment or even ground action, though civilian risk and transparency concerns complicate any escalation and a negotiated deal remains uncertain.
In retaliation for Iran’s attempted ballistic-missile attack on U.S. forces in Jordan, the U.S. Central Command says it launched a heavy wave of strikes against Iran, hitting dozens of IRGC targets including command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal defenses, and maritime capabilities. Iran’s missiles were reportedly intercepted and no casualties were reported, as Washington signals a broadened, ongoing confrontation with Tehran.
The United States launched a heavy wave of strikes against Iran after Iranian missiles hit US forces in Jordan, saying dozens of IRGC targets—including command centers, missile and drone facilities, and maritime assets—were hit. Iran reported civilian casualties and retaliated by striking a US base in Jordan, with additional incidents in Kuwait and southern Iran provinces. The pause in attacks ended as regional tensions surged, and analysts discussed potential escalation paths; the US also imposed sanctions on two IRGC-linked firms tied to Hormuz shipping, underscoring concerns over threats to Gulf security and global shipping routes.
Iran fired multiple ballistic missiles at U.S. forces in the Middle East in what the U.S. described as an attempted surprise attack; Centcom said all missiles were intercepted, while Iran claimed it targeted a base in Jordan. In retaliation, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia struck Iran-aligned militants in Iraq; Tehran also claimed to have struck oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The flare-up ends a brief lull in fighting and fuels concerns of broader escalation, with oil prices rising amid the disruptions.
Iran launched a surprise ballistic missile attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East, but CENTCOM says all missiles were intercepted; Axios cited U.S. officials that a U.S. base in Jordan may have been targeted. In response, U.S. and Saudi forces reportedly struck Iran-aligned targets in eastern Iraq while reports of suspicious Red Sea activity added to tensions and oil markets fluctuated amid the flare-up.
Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, advised stopping the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz after two weeks because it has limited further value and most targets are exhausted. His assessment helped prompt President Trump’s pause on strikes against Iran, with officials signaling that major operations could resume to finish the remaining targets if needed. Meanwhile, talks with Iran and Oman continue to seek a reopening of Hormuz, and there are concerns about air-defense interceptor shortages as the conflict remains on pause rather than resolved.
The U.S. says it paused further direct strikes in the Strait of Hormuz after disabling the Mozambiqueflagged tanker Lavine and inspecting the M/T Charminar, as CENTCOM reports 12 ships redirected, 2 disabled and 2 boarded to enforce the blockade; the blockade remains in effect and the pause comes as President Trump reportedly halted escalation due to a diminished stockpile of interceptors.
At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Rubio says Iran has failed to honor its Strait of Hormuz commitments, warning that letting Tehran control an international waterway would set a dangerous precedent, as U.S. Central Command conducts the 11th night of strikes to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten shipping; the actions follow a June memorandum of understanding whose traffic-management provisions are unresolved, with Iran and Oman stressing Hormuz sovereignty.
ISW-CTP’s Iran Update notes that Foreign Minister Araghchi said a six-person SNSC committee—likely including Vahidi—made important on-the-spot decisions on negotiations with the United States without direct input from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, signaling a shift in regime decision-making. The update also details a sustained U.S. air campaign aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to strike shipping and retaliate for attacks on US forces, Iran’s expanded strikes into southern Jordan, alleged attacks on Kuwaiti and Bahraini targets, and Iranian drone/missile activity across the region, alongside claims of rapid infrastructure repairs (unverified by ISW-CTP) and a casualty among US personnel in Iraqi Kurdistan.
A U.S. official told The Intercept that Iran’s attacks wounded far more American troops than the Pentagon’s casualty tally reflects, including several deaths in Jordan and Iraq and dozens of injuries, highlighting alleged undercounting by the casualty system and ongoing opacity from CENTCOM and the Defense Department.
Greene blasted War Secretary Pete Hegseth for praising fallen U.S. service members in the Iran conflict, accusing him of 'bloodlust' for a 'senseless war.' CENTCOM later confirmed two U.S. service members were killed and one missing in Jordan after Iranian attacks, with another service member killed in Iraq during a detonation; the Pentagon denounced Greene's remarks, while the White House and Trump framed U.S. actions as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The Pentagon identified Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Texas, and 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Hawaii, as the two U.S. soldiers killed in an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on July 17–18. Both service members’ assignments and bases are listed, and the incident remains under investigation. CENTCOM had previously said another service member was missing and several others were evacuated; U.S. leaders have said strikes against Iran would continue in response. The broader campaign has left 16 U.S. troops dead and hundreds wounded, with separate incidents, including a July 18 death in northern Iraq during an ordnance detonation from a downed Iranian drone, cited by CENTCOM.