Centcom chief calls carrier’s mission ‘one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era’ amid mental health and supply issues

Adm. Brad Cooper, the highest-ranking U.S. military official in the Middle East, toured the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea during a 10-day trip that wrapped up on Saturday, as reported by U.S. Central Command. Israel claimed its airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday killed at least 11 people, targeting two Hezbollah commanders. Meanwhile, a Hamas team led by its leader Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo on Sunday for discussions related to a Gaza ceasefire with Egyptian officials.

During his visit, Cooper made a statement highlighting the USS Lincoln's deployment as "one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era." The carrier, which has been in the region since January, has been supporting the U.S. war against Iran, including the blockade of Iranian ports. The Lincoln's prolonged stay at sea, surpassing 240 days, has raised concerns about the mental health of sailors and Marines onboard, as well as potential supply issues.

Cooper also visited Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, meeting with both civilian and military leaders in each country. The U.S. Navy's naval blockade was a response to Iran's assertion of control over the Strait of Hormuz following the war that began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes. This narrow waterway, situated at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, previously allowed about one-fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas to pass through.

Meanwhile, Israel's military reported on Saturday that it had targeted two Hezbollah commanders in strikes in southern Lebanon, claiming the death of Abu Hassan Alaa, a key Hezbollah figure involved in attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a framework agreement in late June, outlining a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah's disarmament. However, Hezbollah has refused direct talks and did not participate in the U.S.-mediated deal.

In other news, a Hamas delegation is in Cairo on Sunday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire with Egyptian officials. Discussions are ongoing to implement a roadmap for disarming Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups, withdrawing Israeli forces, and transferring power to Palestinian technocrats. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the U.S. peace plan, insisting that Israel will not withdraw from the 60% of the territory it controls until Hamas is completely disarmed—a demand that the militant group controlling the remaining 40% has long rejected.