General Michael “Erik” Kurilla has officially concluded his military career after three years leading U.S. forces in the Middle East, a tenure that included overseeing President Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran.
Kurilla, known by the nickname “The Gorilla,” capped a four-decade career with his role as chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), where he directed the unprecedented June strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
He is succeeded by U.S. Navy Admiral Charles Bradford Cooper Jr., who was appointed earlier this month to take command of CENTCOM and oversee U.S. military operations across the region, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.
It remains unclear why Kurilla is stepping down now, even after earning the confidence of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the outlet reported.
At the height of tensions between Iran and Israel earlier this summer, Hegseth granted Kurilla broad operational authority and frequently deferred both decisions and public statements to him.