US CENTCOM chief says attacks on Iran have been ineffective

Brad Cooper, commander of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said the two‑week air campaign against Iran has not achieved its objectives and advised the White House to halt further strikes. He warned that additional bombings alone would not compel Tehran to meet U.S. demands and that a ground operation, while necessary for decisive results, is unlikely to be pursued.

A separate Pentagon briefing highlighted an information blackout surrounding the Iran campaign, with casualty figures repeatedly revised. Official reports initially listed 18 U.S. service members killed, later corrected to 14, while injured personnel exceed 430. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta criticised the effort to conceal the true numbers, calling it a breach of transparency during wartime.