TAMPA (VINnews)-U.S. Central Command on Friday rejected as false an Israeli media report claiming its top commander advocated renewed military action against Iran during a recent visit to Israel.

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson, told i24NEWS that accounts of Adm. Brad Cooper telling senior Israeli officials he is pushing for renewed strikes and a resumption of the conflict with Iran constitute “an outright fabrication. It’s not true at all.”

The denial followed a Thursday report by Israel’s Channel 13. According to the network, Cooper attended a meeting of the Israeli military’s senior operational forum that included Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior commanders. Channel 13 said Cooper urged strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including oil, gas and electricity facilities, arguing that such attacks “will change the rules of the game, will hurt the Iranians badly, and in the current situation they will not change their positions.”

The report further claimed Cooper contended that fighting against Iran should resume, that the United States might have no choice but to renew hostilities, and that Israel would be needed for joint strikes. Channel 13 said the same position had been conveyed to senior U.S. military leaders and President Donald Trump.

Hawkins’ comments to i24NEWS directly contradicted those assertions. CENTCOM has not issued a separate written statement elaborating on the matter.

The reported exchange and subsequent denial occur against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions and earlier U.S. and Israeli military operations targeting Iranian capabilities.