CENTCOM Commander Cooper Visits Israel, Meets Zamir Amid High Iran Alert

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, visited Israel on Saturday and met Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior IDF officers before flying back to the United States. Cooper arrived after a round of meetings in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and U.S. Vice President JD Vance each voiced optimism about a possible new ceasefire. American readiness in the region remains high, with dozens of refueling aircraft, fighter jets, air-defense systems and thousands of U.S. troops still deployed in Israel. Cooper also discussed Gaza, where Washington is pressing Israel to advance the next phase of the disarmament framework.