CENTCOM chief cites reports Iran’s proxies holding back salaries to send money to IRGC

Adm. Brad Cooper, chief of US Central Command (CENTCOM), stated that Iran-aligned militias across the region are reportedly withholding payments from their own soldiers to funnel money to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to the Jerusalem Post, citing Axios, this redirection of funds occurs as the IRGC also struggles to pay its own troops due to severe financial strain following nine months of war.

The Jerusalem Post reports that the US naval blockade has resulted in an estimated $25 billion in lost oil revenue for Iran. Additionally, Cooper noted that the CENTCOM and the US Treasury Department recently froze $350 million in Iranian cryptocurrency assets.

Regarding maritime security, the Jerusalem Post reports that Cooper attributed increased Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to desperation within the IRGC. The Times of Israel reported that the US has blocked the export of $25 billion of Iranian oil and that increased Iranian assistance has reportedly fueled Houthi advances.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.