The commander of the US.Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, is scheduled to arrive in Israel this Saturday for talks with high-ranking officials
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The news was reported by the Israeli public broadcaster Kan on Friday.
The visit comes amid a significant increase in the U.S. military presence in the Middle East region, driven by growing tensions with Iran.
President Donald Trump has made strong statements threatening military action against Tehran, mainly in response to the violent repression of internal protests in Iran, which include the execution of prisoners.
Although Trump softened somewhat by saying that Iran has stopped threatening about 800 prisoners-information denied by Iranian authorities-he made it clear that all options remain on the table.
In recent speeches, the president described possible attacks as something that would make previous bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities seem small, and spoke of a large naval “armada” being sent to the area.
Among the key movements is the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, which left the South China Sea and is now sailing in the Indian Ocean.
It is not yet under the direct command of CENTCOM and it is expected to take several days, or even a week, to reach a position from which it can conduct operations against Iran.
When it arrives, it will join forces already present in the region, such as three littoral combat ships in Bahrain, two destroyers in the Persian Gulf, and approximately 5,700 additional troops recently deployed.
American bases in the area, such as Al Udeid in Qatar-which serves as an advanced headquarters for CENTCOM and houses thousands of troops-continue to support this presence.
In addition, F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets from the Air Force have been deployed to increase readiness, and dozens of cargo planes are transporting equipment, following a pattern similar to what happened in 2024 before attacks on Iranian nuclear targets.
On the Iranian side, a high-ranking official who wished to remain anonymous said that the country is on “high alert” and that any attack would be seen as “total war,” with a response “in the harshest possible way” to restore balance.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, warned that there are indications that Israel may be waiting for an opportunity to attack Iran, which would further worsen the instability in the region.
At the same time that Admiral Cooper arrives, other American envoys, such as Jared Kushner (White House advisor) and Steve Witkoff (special envoy), are also expected in Israel for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The topics include the situation in Gaza, Hamas, the return of the last Israeli hostage still held by the group (Ran Gvili), and possible developments involving Iran.
All this shows the United States’ effort to demonstrate strength and support its allies in the region, while trying to avoid a further escalation of the conflict.
Published in 01/24/2026 09h08
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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