US Commander Visits Carrier in Arabian Sea as Mideast Tensions Simmer

Adm. Brad Cooper, the top US military commander for the Middle East, visited the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea during a 10-day regional tour that ended on Saturday, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). The visit comes amid reports of mental health and supply strains on the carrier, which has been deployed since January and recently set a record with over 240 consecutive days at sea.

Cooper praised the crew's performance, saying the deployment would be remembered as one of the most operationally intense of the modern era. His itinerary also included stops in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE for meetings with civilian and military leaders.

Separately, Israel's military said it struck two Hezbollah commanders in southern Lebanon on Saturday. Lebanese authorities reported at least 11 deaths across two strikes — seven in Ansar village and four in Deir al-Zahrani. Israel identified the targets as a Radwan Force battalion commander and a senior commander allegedly involved in attacks on Israeli forces. Israel accused Hezbollah of violating a June ceasefire by attacking its soldiers, while Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the airstrikes.

In parallel, a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Cairo on Sunday for ceasefire talks with Egyptian officials. Mediators are pushing a US-backed roadmap that calls for Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a handover to Palestinian technocrats. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, insisting on complete disarmament before any withdrawal.

Meanwhile, Iran's Missing Persons Committee alleged that Qatar is holding three Iranian pilots who went missing in March. Qatar denied the claim, stating its search teams found remains of one pilot. Iran has requested access for its experts to investigate.