The commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, recommended halting the bombing campaign in the Strait of Hormuz area because its effectiveness has been exhausted. This was reported by Axios, citing two sources familiar with his position. According to the sources, Admiral Cooper's recommendation directly influenced U.S. President Donald Trump's decision over the weekend to order a halt to American strikes against Iran. Cooper believed there was no point in continuing the current format of bombings unless the U.S. returns to large-scale combat operations to complete the remaining 20 percent of targets not struck during Operation 'Wrath of Epi'.