CENTCOM commander completes 10-day Middle East tour
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper completed a 10-day tour of the Middle East on Aug. 15, visiting six countries and a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Arabian Sea, CENTCOM said.
Cooper met with senior civilian and military officials in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, while also meeting U.S. service members deployed across the region.
More than 50,000 U.S. troops are currently operating across the Middle East in support of various missions, according to CENTCOM.
During his visits, Cooper recognized service members for exceptional performance, reenlisted troops and presided over a leadership transition at the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR).
Maj. Gen. Kevin Lambert handed over command of CJTF-OIR to Rear Adm. Liam Hulin on Aug. 11 during a ceremony at the task force’s headquarters in Jordan.
Cooper also visited the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) while it was operating at sea. It was his second visit to the aircraft carrier this year, following a February visit alongside U.S. Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
During his latest visit, Cooper addressed the carrier’s crew and thanked sailors and Marines for their service, while meeting with junior service members and recognizing outstanding performers.
“The Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is a strong team of high-achieving Americans standing tall with immense, justified pride in everything they accomplished,” Cooper said.
“History will record this deployment as one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era,” he added.
The San Diego-based USS Abraham Lincoln departed for deployment in November and arrived in the Middle East in January.
According to CENTCOM, the carrier strike group has conducted thousands of combat flights in support of Operation Epic Fury, regional security missions and the ongoing U.S. naval blockade against Iran.
The tour comes as U.S. forces maintain a significant military presence across the Middle East amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing operations.