According to a report by Anadolu Agency on Sunday, July 26, 2026, senior U.S. military officers advised the Trump administration to cease its air campaign against Iran after finding that it had achieved its immediate military goals and would bring little strategic advantage.
The report said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, informed senior White House officials that nearly two weeks of sustained airstrikes had significantly weakened Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
According to authorities involved with the negotiations, Cooper believed most of the military targets had been destroyed or substantially damaged.
The Strait of Hormuz handles a large portion of worldwide oil shipments and is strategically important. US military operations targeted Iranian naval capabilities, missile systems, radar installations, and other assets believed to threaten international maritime traffic.
According to Axios, Cooper said that the list of suitable targets had been exhausted, therefore daily attacks were pointless unless the US meant to undertake a much bigger military action against Iran.
The military assessment allegedly influenced President Donald Trump’s Friday decision to stop U.S. strikes after nearly two weeks.
The report also said Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine warned President Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that air defence interceptor stocks were dwindling.
According to the report, Caine warned that continued operations could weaken America’s defences against Iranian retaliation.
The reported internal discussions were not commented on by CENTCOM.
The military halt has reached its second day, with no U.S. airstrikes or Iranian retaliations overnight into Sunday.
The first continuous lull since the present phase of the battle intensified nearly two weeks ago is military inactivity.
The Trump administration says the strike halt will allow for talks rather than the end of military readiness.
On Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said President Trump was giving Tehran “some space” for diplomatic engagement while keeping military options open if negotiations fail.
Iran has also said it will maintain the pause. Reuters reported that a senior Iranian official said Tehran would not launch any assaults as long as the US suspended its air campaign.
Iranian authorities cautioned that any renewed American attacks would prompt a quick retaliation and that the respite should not be regarded as a permanent peace.
After repeated attacks on commercial vessels spurred U.S. military participation, the Strait of Hormuz conflict has focused on maritime security.
CENTCOM targeted Iranian air defence systems, missile launch locations, drone facilities, coastal radar stations, and naval assets throughout the campaign to minimise Tehran’s threat to international trade.
Diplomatic attempts have persisted during the military pause. Oman, Qatar, and Pakistan have remained active in mediation between Washington and Tehran since June, when they signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a temporary truce framework for deeper negotiations.
That deal was strained when hostilities restarted, but officials from both nations have continued indirect talks to prevent a regional conflict.
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