Command decisions: CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper's ups and downs in shaping Trump's war on Iran

In April, The Jerusalem Post reported that US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper had taken a more passive role in communicating his strategy to President Donald Trump compared to his predecessor. Cooper preferred to convey his views to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Gen. Dan Caine, and others like US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, depending on the issue.

This active role allowed Cooper to directly engage with top officials, ensuring his concerns reached the decision-making levels.

Cooper's success was evident during the June 2025 war with Iran, where he worked closely with top Israeli officials and effectively managed relationships and coordination. His military operational planning and execution were also highly praised in various areas. Additionally, Cooper's naval expertise made a significant impact during the Strait of Hormuz conflict.

However, there were questions about Cooper's role and impact in areas where Americans were critical of the war's results, particularly the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Cooper explained that clearing the strait would require time, as it involved neutralizing threats from Iranian drones, ballistic missiles, and large vessels. He argued that backseat quarterbacking was misinformed, as the situation had evolved since early March.

Regarding the Iran's claim of closing the Strait of Hormuz in early March, Cooper revealed that it was partially fake. While Iran did have real threats of missiles and drones, the claim of widespread mine deployment was untrue. Ships were later inspected, and it was found that the majority of the supposed mines were duds. This revelation pointed to the fact that ships were not damaged by sea mines before the April 7 ceasefire.

Some reports suggested that Cooper had contacted Israeli Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir around March 19 to request the assassination of IRGC Navy chief Alireza Tangsiri. The Post disclosed that this call was made during a time when the US was confused about Iran's mine deployment claims. Cooper's actions seemed to be influenced by a desire to eliminate a serious threat to the naval conflict in general, leading to Tangsiri's assassination on March 26.