WASHINGTON: US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief Adm Brad Cooper has completed a 10-day tour of the Middle East, including a visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier operating in the Arabian Sea, as the US military maintains a heightened presence in the region amid its prolonged confrontation with Iran.
Cooper’s tour, which concluded on August 15, included visits to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where he met senior civilian and military leaders and engaged with US service members deployed across the region.
According to CENTCOM, more than 50,000 US military personnel are currently operating across the Middle East in support of various missions.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 15, 2026
During the trip, Cooper also presided over a change of command ceremony for the US-led coalition task force conducting operations against Islamic State.
Maj Gen Kevin Lambert handed over command of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) to Rear Adm Liam Hulin during a ceremony at the task force’s headquarters in Jordan on August 11.
The CENTCOM chief also visited the USS Abraham Lincoln for the second time this year, meeting sailors and Marines aboard the carrier and recognising personnel for their performance and service.
Addressing the ship’s crew, Cooper praised their dedication and courage during an exceptionally demanding deployment. “History will record this deployment as one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era,” Cooper said.
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The USS Abraham Lincoln, based in San Diego, departed the United States for its current deployment in November and reached the Middle East in January. The carrier strike group has since carried out thousands of combat flights in support of Operation Epic Fury, regional security missions and the US naval blockade against Iran.
Cooper’s visit comes as the Abraham Lincoln and other US military assets remain deployed in the region amid continuing tensions with Tehran, placing additional operational demands on American forces stationed across the Middle East.
During his time aboard the carrier, Cooper also met junior service members and presented awards to personnel recognised for their performance.
The CENTCOM commander’s tour underscored the US military’s continued focus on regional operations, coordination with partner states and support for American forces deployed across the Middle East.
