US Central Command chief tells Israel war with Iran could resume

TEL AVIV, Israel — The commander of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, told Israeli officials that Washington may have to resume war against Iran, according to Israel's Channel 13. Cooper, who visited Tel Aviv on Saturday for several hours, told Israeli military leaders that attacks on Iranian infrastructure would "change the rules of the game" and that the United States would need Israel if the conflict restarted. The visit focused on developments related to Iran and Gaza, Channel 13 reported. Cooper also met with senior Israeli military officials to discuss regional security issues. Separately, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States could maintain its blockade against Iran for as long as necessary. The United States is planning to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the region with the USS George Washington. The Wall Street Journal reported the rotation is being carried out as part of operations targeting Iran, and the redeployment is part of a broader restructuring of US maritime presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.