Latest news with #Centcom
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
The ‘jacked gorilla' general pushing Trump to strike Iran
'Shots fired!' shouted Gen Michael Kurilla moments before charging towards the sound of gunfire to save two junior officers. Weaving through the rubble-strewn alleyways of war-torn Mosul, Iraq, the then-lieutenant colonel was pursuing a group of terrorist suspects when three more shots rang out. Taking bullets to the arm and both legs, one snapping his femur in half, he 'performed a judo roll' and carried on firing his rifle, witnesses say. As the gunfire continued, he covered his troops and reeled off orders while bleeding on the concrete floor. Nearly 20 years later, Gen Kurilla, who was awarded a Bronze Star for valour and now heads the US military Central Command (Centcom), is once again leading the fight in the Middle East – this time against Iran. Known to be Israel's favourite general and nicknamed 'The Gorilla', Gen Kurilla is understood to have been given unusual levels of authority by Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, to determine the American response to the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. The 59-year-old has apparently overruled other top Pentagon officials in managing the crisis and has had nearly all his requests approved for more weapons and air defences for the region, multiple sources told Politico and Axios. More than six feet tall, the 'jacked' (muscular) general certainly looks the part and is known for his abrasive approach. He was investigated by the army last year for allegedly shoving a military crew member, although the outcome is not clear. According to one former official, his tough-guy persona and commanding physical presence give Gen Kurilla powerful influence over the US defence secretary. 'He's a big dude, he's jacked, he's exactly this 'lethality' look [Donald Trump and Mr Hegseth are] going for,' the ex-official told Politico. 'If the senior military guys come across as tough and war fighters, Hegseth is easily persuaded to their point of view.' The general is said to have had more face time with the US president than most other generals, according to Politico. Where Gen Dan Caine, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon policy chief, have repeatedly urged against overcommitting to the Middle East, Gen Kurilla is said to be pushing for a strong military response to Iran. As the department of defence (DoD) moves aircraft carriers and a large formation of refuelling planes to the region and the president mulls over a direct military strike on Iran, there is speculation that Gen Kurilla is pulling the strings behind the scenes. 'Hegseth has sided with him time and again,' a diplomat told the website. Hailed by Israeli news outlet Ynet as 'the US general Israel doesn't want to strike Iran without', Gen Kurilla is a long-time Iran hawk who is expected to retire from the military this summer. A veteran of Panama, the Gulf War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gen Kurilla is seen as 'one of Israel's staunchest allies in the American defence establishment', according to Ynet, and has travelled to the country dozens of times since he first visited as a young officer in his 20s. 'He knows the type of every munition launched at Israel that night, and where each interceptor was positioned,' an Israeli official told the news outlet last year. 'Wake him in the middle of the night, and he'd ace a pop quiz better than some of our own officers.' According to The New York Times, the general had been open to US involvement in an Israeli strike plan to attack Iran earlier this spring, combining a bombing campaign with commando raids on nuclear sites, but was blocked by Mr Trump, who favoured a diplomatic approach. 'He has been pushing for war with Iran and away from diplomacy since before Trump took office in ways that run over civilian officials,' Justin Logan, director of foreign policy and defence studies at the Cato Institute, told Responsible Statecraft. Since taking over as head of Centcom in 2022, Gen Kurilla has pursued a strategy of military integration with Israel and regional partners to deter Iranian aggression, known as 'Kurilla's umbrella'. The system has enabled US radar systems in the UAE and Qatar to aid Israeli defence and has included co-operation with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, according to Ynet. Explaining his approach to a US House congressional committee in March, Gen Kurilla said that Iran had taken a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the region to its advantage', which could be halted by a 'deep partnership' between Israel, the US and the Gulf States. He is also thought to have played an instrumental role in pushing for sustained attacks on Houthi Rebels in Yemen in March, according to the New York Times, details of which were later made public in the infamous Signal group chat leak. The 30-day operation cost more than $1 billion and was widely viewed as an ineffective use of resources, yet it enabled Mr Trump to strike a deal to end the fighting. Deployed to Israel in April, Gen Kurilla is said to have passed on the news to government officials there that the US would not endorse strikes on Iran to curb its uranium enrichment programme. He also is said to have released a statement in which he reiterated the two nations' 'ironclad military-to-military relationship', The Jerusalem Post reported. Gen Kurilla may have also played a decisive role in determining Israel's decision to pull the trigger on operation 'Rising Lion' last Friday, when it launched a devastating series of precision air strikes on Iranian military sites and personnel. Although Israel acquiesced to Mr Trump's demands in April to hold off attacking Iran, military sources told The Jerusalem Post at the time that they hoped to strike before Gen Kurilla stepped down in July, recognising him as a key ally. 'I think it's been reported, and you know, based on my experience with him, that he takes a fundamentally different view of the importance of the Middle East than a lot of other people in the administration,' Dan Caldwell, former adviser to Mr Hegseth, told the Breaking Points podcast on Monday. He added: 'And he also, I think, believes that a military campaign against Iran will not be as costly as others.' With time running out before Iran produces an atomic bomb and with Gen Kurilla's retirement looming, it may well be that Israel saw its window of opportunity closing. Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said: 'Secretary Hegseth empowers all of his combatant commanders the same way – by decentralising command and harnessing their real-world expertise regarding the defence of their respective areas of responsibility. 'The entire DoD leadership team – from the chairman of the joint chiefs to the undersecretary of defence for policy – similarly provide courses of action and counsel to the secretary based on their expertise. The secretary then makes a decision and final recommendation to the president. This is how the Pentagon does, and should, function. Our senior leaders are in lockstep and will continue to work in unison to deliver on President Trump's national security agenda.'
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
The ‘jacked gorilla' general drawing up Trump's attack plans
'Shots fired!' yelled Gen Michael Kurilla moments before charging towards the sound of gunfire to save two junior officers. Weaving through the rubble-strewn alleyways of war-torn Mosul, Iraq, the then-lieutenant colonel was pursuing a group of terrorist suspects when three more shots rang out. Taking bullets to the arm and both legs, one snapping his femur in half, he 'performed a judo roll' and carried on firing his rifle, witnesses say. As the gunfire continued, he covered his troops and reeled off orders while bleeding on the concrete floor. Nearly 20 years later, Gen Kurilla, who was awarded a Bronze Star for valour and now heads the US military Central Command (Centcom), is once again leading the fight in the Middle East – this time against Iran. Known to be Israel's favourite general and nicknamed 'The Gorilla', Gen Kurilla is understood to have been given unusual levels of authority by Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, to determine the American response to the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. The 59 year-old has apparently overruled other top Pentagon officials in managing the crisis and has had nearly all his requests approved for more weapons and air defences for the region, multiple sources told Politico and Axios. More than six feet tall, the 'jacked' (muscular) general certainly looks the part and is known for his abrasive approach. He was investigated by the army last year for allegedly shoving a military crew member, although the outcome is not clear. According to one former official, his tough-guy persona and commanding physical presence give Gen Kurilla powerful influence over the US defence secretary. 'He's a big dude, he's jacked, he's exactly this 'lethality' look [Donald Trump and Mr Hegseth are] going for,' the ex-official told Politico. 'If the senior military guys come across as tough and war fighters, Hegseth is easily persuaded to their point of view.' The general is said to have had more face time with the US president than most other generals, according to Politico. Where Gen Dan Caine, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon policy chief, have repeatedly urged against overcommitting to the Middle East, Gen Kurilla is said to be pushing for a strong military response to Iran. As the department of defence moves aircraft carriers and a large formation of refuelling planes to the region and the president mulls a direct military strike on Iran, there is speculation that Gen Kurilla is pulling the strings behind the scenes. 'Hegseth has sided with him time and again,' a diplomat told the website. Hailed by Israeli news outlet Ynet as 'the US general Israel doesn't want to strike Iran without', Gen Kurilla is a long-time Iran hawk who is expected to retire from the military this summer. A veteran of Panama, the Gulf War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gen Kurilla is seen as 'one of Israel's staunchest allies in the American defence establishment', according to Ynet, and has travelled to the country dozens of times since he first visited as a young officer in his 20s. 'He knows the type of every munition launched at Israel that night, and where each interceptor was positioned,' an Israeli official told the news outlet last year. 'Wake him in the middle of the night, and he'd ace a pop quiz better than some of our own officers.' According to The New York Times, the general had been open to US involvement in an Israeli strike plan to attack Iran earlier this spring, combining a bombing campaign with commando raids on nuclear sites, but was blocked by Mr Trump, who favoured a diplomatic approach. 'He has been pushing for war with Iran and away from diplomacy since before Trump took office in ways that run over civilian officials,' Justin Logan, director of foreign policy and defence studies at the Cato Institute, told Responsible Statercraft. Since taking over as head of Centcom in 2022, Gen Kurilla has pursued a strategy of military integration with Israel and regional partners to deter Iranian aggression, known as 'Kurilla's umbrella'. The system has enabled US radar systems in the UAE and Qatar to aid Israeli defence and has included co-operation with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, according to Ynet. Explaining his approach to a US House congressional committee in March, Gen Kurilla said that Iran had taken a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the region to its advantage' which could be halted by a 'deep partnership' between Israel, the US and the Gulf States. He is also thought to have played an instrumental role in pushing for sustained attacks on Houthi Rebels in Yemen in March, according to the New York Times, details of which were later made public in the infamous Signal group chat leak. The 30-day operation cost more than $1 billion and was widely viewed as an ineffective use of resources, yet it enabled Mr Trump to strike a deal to end the fighting. Deployed to Israel in April, Gen Kurilla is said to have passed on the news to government officials there that the US would not endorse strikes on Iran to curb its uranium enrichment programme. He also is said to have released a statement in which he reiterated the two nations' 'ironclad military-to-military relationship', The Jerusalem Post reported. Gen Kurilla may have also played a decisive role in determining Israel's decision to pull the trigger on operation 'Rising Lion' last Friday, when it launched a devastating series of precision air strikes on Iranian military sites and personnel. Although Israel acquiesced to Mr Trump's demands in April to hold off attacking Iran, military sources told The Jerusalem Post at the time that they hoped to strike before Gen Kurilla stepped down in July, recognising him as a key ally. 'I think it's been reported, and you know, based on my experience with him, that he takes a fundamentally different view of the importance of the Middle East than a lot of other people in the administration,' Dan Caldwell, former adviser to Mr Hegseth, told the Breaking Points podcast on Monday. He added: 'And he also, I think, believes that a military campaign against Iran will not be as costly as others.' With time running out before Iran produces an atomic bomb and with Gen Kurilla's retirement looming, it may well be that Israel saw its window of opportunity closing.
Business Recorder
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Centcom chief calls ties with Pakistan vital to US security
WASHINGTON: US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Michael Erik Kurilla described on Wednesday relations with Pakistan as 'vital' to US national security. Addressing US Senate Armed Services Committee meeting, General Michael Kurilla said that the entire world recognizes Pakistan's positive and proactive role in fight against terrorism. He said that relations with Pakistan are vital to US national security. Michael Kurilla has praised Pakistan's role in the fight against terrorism. General Kurilla said; 'ISIS Khorasan is currently one of the most active terrorist organizations in the world.' He said the United States cannot afford to break ties with Pakistan for the sake of India. He said that the US, in cooperation with Pakistan, has been conducting successful operations against IS. General Kurilla lauded that Pakistan has arrested at least five senior IS leaders. He also confirmed that Pakistan handed over the main suspect in the Kabul Airport bombing to the United States. 'With Pakistan's continued cooperation, the US is now close to crushing IS', General Kurilla said. He said Pakistan has emerged as an exceptional counter-terrorism partner. General Kurilla acknowledged that 'close intelligence cooperation with Pakistan has resulted in the killing and arrest of dozens of ISIS-K terrorists.' He said these arrests include at least five of the organization's most wanted leaders. General Kurilla said Pakistani authorities have provided the US with several important successes through intelligence sharing. He said these successes include the arrest and extradition of the mastermind of gate bombing Jafar.
Express Tribune
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
'Exceptional partner': US general lauds Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts
Listen to article United States Central Command (Centcom) Chief General Michael Kurilla has lauded Pakistan's counterterrorism efforts, particularly its role in combating the militant group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), describing the country as a key partner in regional security operations. Speaking during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee in Washington on Tuesday, Kurilla described ISIS-K as 'one of the most active groups attempting external plots globally, including against the US homeland.' He added that hostility between the Taliban and ISIS-K had intensified, forcing many fighters into the tribal regions along the Afghan-Pakistan border. The Centcom chief praised Pakistan's cooperation, terming it a 'phenomenal partnership.' He said that with limited intelligence support from the United States, Pakistan had managed to kill dozens of ISIS-K militants and capture at least five high-value individuals. Among those apprehended was Jafar, identified as a key figure behind the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport. 'The Chief of Army Staff called me directly and said, 'I've caught him. I'm willing to extradite him back to the United States. Please inform the Secretary of Defense and the President,'' Kurilla told the committee. While acknowledging Pakistan's successes, the general noted that ISIS-K remains operational in the region. 'They are mostly confined to the border areas of Pakistan, occasionally attempting to re-enter Afghanistan,' he said, adding that the United States continues to monitor the group's movements. Earlier this year, US president Donald Trump also acknowledged Pakistan's role in counterterrorism. Speaking before a joint session of Congress in March, he said: 'I want to thank, especially, the Pakistani government for helping arrest this monster,' referring to Jafar's capture. Highlighting Pakistan's own internal security challenges, Kurilla told lawmakers that the country has faced over 1,000 terrorist attacks in its western regions since the beginning of 2024, resulting in approximately 700 deaths and 200 injuries. He referred to Pakistan as an 'exceptional partner' in counterterrorism efforts. Commenting on the current strength of ISIS-K, the Centcom chief said the group is at a 'low point' following several months of sustained pressure. He said intelligence gathered from interrogations has provided 'substantial' information. However, he cautioned that the threat remains, citing the group's involvement in recent international attacks, including the Crocus City Hall bombing in Moscow and another in Kerman, Iran. 'Whatever we have to do to avoid going back to that place would be critical,' he warned. Kurilla also stressed the importance of maintaining strategic ties with both Pakistan and India. 'We have to have relationships with Pakistan and with India. I don't believe it's a binary switch that we can't have one with Pakistan if we have one with India. We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has,' he said. WATCH: Trump Thanks Pakistan Government for Helping Capture Top ISIS Terrorist The remarks come in the backdrop of a broader shift in US policy towards the region. Following a military standoff between India and Pakistan that brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours close to war, Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10. Since then, Trump has repeatedly taken credit for defusing tensions while commending Pakistan's leadership for its role. In a notable policy reversal, the Trump administration recently approved $397 million for the maintenance of Pakistan's F-16 fighter jet fleet. The allocation follows a freeze on foreign aid and is designated strictly for counterterrorism operations. A US-monitored oversight mechanism will ensure the aircraft are not used against India, according to a Reuters report. Despite an executive order halting most overseas funding, Washington has granted approximately $5.3 billion in security-related exemptions—with Pakistan's allocation among 243 such cases.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US general praises Pakistan, motherlode of terrorism, as a 'phenomenal partner'
General Michael Kurilla TOI correspondent from Washington: Despite acknowledging that a Pakistani national plotted terrorist attacks in America as recently as 2024, a top US general has described Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner" in counter-terrorism, ostensibly because the country's military rulers hand over such terrorists to Washington on demand. In testimony before a Congressional panel on Tuesday, General Michael Kurilla, who heads the US Central Command (Centcom) -- which has operational oversight over Pakistan -- lauded Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir for handing over terrorists who attacked the US and its assets, despite Islamabad's refusal to do the same with the terrorists who have attacked India. 'The first [Pakistani] chief of army staff Munir called was me and said, 'I've caught him, I'm willing to extradite him back to the US, please tell the secretary of defense and the president,'' Kurilla told lawmakers while revealing Pakistan's selective response in handing over to US Mohammad Sharifullah, the mastermind behind the August 2021 suicide attack at Abbey Gate in Kabul that killed 13 US service members. Kurilla praise for Pakistan's military came hours after another terrorist identified by the Justice Department as a "Pakistani citizen" was extradited to the US on Monday for a terror plot against a Jewish center in New York. "The foiled 2024 terror plot against a Jewish center in Brooklyn was planned by a Pakistani national to coincide with the one-year anniversary of Hamas' 7 October attack. New York was chosen because of its large Jewish population with the would-be gunman himself stating, 'even if we don't attack an event, we could rack up easily a lot of Jews',' Kurilla told the panel. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Support elderly mothers. Donate Today HelpAge India Donate Now Undo Despite the dissonance in Pakistan's approach to terrorists it spawns, which involves cooperating with US while rejecting India's complaints, Kurilla chose to highlight Pakistan's "value as a partner" in countering terror threats as it pertained to Centcom ops. Operationally, India falls under the US Pacific Command. Still, the testimony revealed a selective US approach towards terrorism that affects India, a dissonance that an Indian parliamentary committee that recently visited Washington underscored in engagements in the US capital. Panel members repeatedly underlined to the US interlocutors that almost every major terrorist who masterminded and pulled off attacks on the US -- from the first attack on World Trade Center in 1993 to 9/11 to the Times Square attack to San Bernardino massacre -- involved Pakistanis who invariably escaped to Pakistan and were captured there before being extradited. "They don't go to Iran or Iraq or Syria or Venezuela or Cuba... they go back to the motherlode of terrorism, Pakistan," one member said in frustration during the visit that made little impression on the Trump administration, recalling the names of Osama bin Laden, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Ramzi Yousef, Ramzi bin al Shibh, Mir Aimal Kansi, and many others who were captured in Pakistan after terror attacks on the US. The Pakistani imprint on terrorism in the US was established yet again on Tuesday when the Justice Department announced the extradition if Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, whom it described as a "Pakistani citizen residing in Canada" for the Brooklyn terror plot. Rather than hold Pakistan responsible for spawning terrorists, US attorney general Pam Bondi trained her gun at the amorphous terrorist group ISIS, saying, "it remains a clear and present danger to the American people, and our Jewish citizens are especially targeted by evil groups like these."
