Wall Street Journal says CENTCOM commander has presented a 10 to 14 day air campaign plan against Iran

In a report recirculated on Thursday 30 July 2026, the Wall Street Journal said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), has presented the US administration with a plan for a wide-ranging air campaign against Iranian targets lasting 10 to 14 days. According to the report, the plan's stated aim is to inflict serious damage on Iran's missile capability.

The newspaper said there is disagreement inside the US administration over the scope and consequences of widening the conflict. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has cautioned against carrying out such a large operation and has expressed concern about depleted stocks of air defence system interceptors and the US military's need to stay ready for other global crises. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has backed the CENTCOM commander's proposal.

According to the report, Donald Trump has both the option of intensifying military operations and the diplomatic track on the table, and has not yet made a final decision to begin the two-week campaign. The report has also been recirculated by several other international outlets, and comes after CENTCOM earlier on Thursday announced the end of the latest wave of strikes on Iran.