U.S. Central Command chief urges halt to Iran strikes, citing limited impact

2026-07-27

Attack impact seen as limited

Axios reported on the 26th that Commander Cooper of U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, had urged the White House and the Pentagon to stop the strikes on Iran around the Strait of Hormuz, saying their impact was limited. He reportedly noted that most nearby military targets had already been hit and that attacking the remaining targets would require a return to large-scale operations.

Trump prioritizes talks

U.S. U.N. Ambassador Waltz said in an NBC interview on the 26th that President Trump was trying to give some room for negotiations, and said talks with the Iranian side were continuing. U.S. media had reported that Trump was putting off major strikes for the time being and was concerned that escalating fighting would deplete weapons stockpiles. Waltz rejected that, saying the U.S. military had everything it needed to carry out operations, and said the president had all options available.

Iran signals retaliation

The U.S. military carried out attacks on Iran for 13 consecutive days from the 11th, but Axios said Trump did not approve a new airstrike plan on the 24th. Reuters reported that a senior Iranian official said on the 26th that Iran would not retaliate as long as the United States stopped the airstrikes, but warned it was ready to respond on a large scale if the U.S. attacked again. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baqaei also criticized the United States for violating a memorandum to end the fighting and undermining the basis for dialogue, while saying exchanges with Washington through Pakistan, Oman and Qatar were continuing.

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