Updated

Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command who is overseeing American military operations in the conflict with Iran, said on Sunday, September 13, 2026 that he was "not concerned at all" about a possible shortage of anti-missile interceptors. His remarks were made in an interview with CBS News correspondent Norah O'Donnell, with a clip released that day ahead of a broadcast on "60 Minutes" that evening. Cooper said US forces were well armed and ready for any contingency, a message aimed at reassuring both domestic audiences and regional partners. The comments were carried in live coverage of the day's developments by Israeli and American outlets. The statement came as the United States and Iran continued to exchange fire, and amid growing public concern about the rate at which American stockpiles of interceptors and other precision munitions were being depleted by sustained air-defense operations in the Middle East. Cooper had previously testified on US military posture in the greater Middle East before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington earlier in 2026, making him the central military voice on the campaign. The exchange mattered because interceptor inventories are a practical constraint on how long the US and its partners can defend against Iranian missile and drone salvos. It also fed a broader debate in Washington about the sustainability and cost of the war effort.