Central Command
CENTCOM · United States Central Command oversees military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.
Area of Responsibility: Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, Egypt
CENTCOM Alert Flash
LIVE- Oct 12 GACA Extends Suspension of Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh
- Oct 12 Saudi-Led Coalition and Houthi Spokesman: Strike on Riyadh Airport Killed 12 Including U.S. Citizen and October 11 Projectile Hit Terminal 4
- Oct 11 CENTCOM Disables Panama-Flagged Cargo Vessel Attempting to Run Iran Blockade in Gulf of Oman
- Oct 11 DVIDS (CENTCOM / DoD): U.S. Forces Disable Cargo Vessel Attempting to Violate Blockade
Essential Preparedness Supplies
Start your emergency preparedness journey
Central Command Mission Overview
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) directs and enables military operations and activities with allies and partners across the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia to increase regional security and stability in support of enduring U.S. interests. The area of responsibility spans 21 nations and includes critical maritime chokepoints, most notably the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb, that carry a large share of global oil and gas shipping. Headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, the command oversees planning and coordination for joint and coalition forces.
CENTCOM is a geographic combatant command situated between the European, Africa, and Indo-Pacific commands. The command's 2026 priorities are to defend the homeland, deter conflict with Iran and its proxies, and compete with China across the region. Operations in 2026 include Project Freedom, launched in May to support freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and mine-clearance activity in the same waterway. Counter-terrorism operations and partner-nation security cooperation remain ongoing lines of effort.
- Joint operations and regional contingency planning.
- Coalition coordination and security cooperation.
- Operational readiness across the central region.
United States Central Command oversees military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.
Headquarters
MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida
Area of Responsibility
Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, Egypt
Latest CENTCOM Alerts
Recent intelligence updates for Central Command.
GACA Extends Suspension of Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh
SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation announced on October 12 that the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has b
Read the Full Alert
Saudi-Led Coalition and Houthi Spokesman: Strike on Riyadh Airport Killed 12 Including U.S. Citizen and October 11 Projectile Hit Terminal 4
SAUDI ARABIA - The Saudi-led coalition attributed an October 10 strike by Yemen’s Houthi forces on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed 12 people, including
Read the Full Alert
CENTCOM Disables Panama-Flagged Cargo Vessel Attempting to Run Iran Blockade in Gulf of Oman
GULF OF OMAN - On October 10, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces disabled the Panama-flagged commercial cargo vessel M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, in the Gulf
Read the Full Alert
DVIDS (CENTCOM / DoD): U.S. Forces Disable Cargo Vessel Attempting to Violate Blockade
TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Oct...
Read the Full Alert
Outbound Tanker Struck by Projectile in Strait of Hormuz
STRAIT OF HORMUZ - United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report on October 10 that the master (Captain) of an outbound tanker was struck on the port side by
Read the Full Alert
NWS / NOAA weather: Tornado Warning issued October 9 at 4:18PM EDT until October 9 at 4:45PM EDT by NWS Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
TORTBW The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a * Tornado Warning for... Northwestern Citrus County in west central Florida...
Read the Full Alert
DVIDS (CENTCOM / DoD): Carrier Air Wing 9 completes 10-month combat deployment
SAN DIEGO - Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 has concluded a 10-month combat deployment aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)...
Read the Full Alert
DVIDS (CENTCOM / DoD): CENTCOM Maintains Strict Enforcement of U.S. Blockade Against Iran
TAMPA, Fla. - On Oct. 5, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces redirected the 130th commercial vessel in the Middle East during strict enforcement of...
Read the Full Alert
Tanker Crew Reports Explosions 60 Nautical Miles South of Al Mukha, Yemen
YEMEN - A company security officer reported that a tanker sighted multiple explosions close to the ship about 69 miles (111 km) south of Al Mukha, Yemen, on Sunday, October 4.
Read the Full Alert
Unknown Projectile Reported to Hit Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
MIDDLE EAST - On October 1 a maritime reporting center received a third-party report that an unknown projectile had struck a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway
Read the Full Alert
USGS earthquakes: M 5.2 - 7 km ESE of Baghlān, Afghanistan
7 km ESE of Baghlān, Afghanistan
Read the Full Alert
U.S. Forces Leave Erbil Air Base, Ending Inherent Resolve Mission in Iraq
MIDDLE EAST - U.S. Central Command completed the orderly departure of U.S. forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq on September 30, marking the end of the Opera
Read the Full AlertOther Geographic Commands
Explore other geographic combatant commands with similar mission areas.
Get CENTCOM Alerts
Subscribe to receive instant notifications when significant events occur in this command's area of responsibility.