Who is US Central Command chief Gen. Erik Kurilla, key player in Iran, Israel clashes?

U.S. Central Command (Centcom) chief Gen. Erik Kurilla has become a key player in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

As Centcom chief, Kurilla leads the U.S. military command in the Middle East — a region that has taken outsized importance in recent days as President Trump weighs whether to join Israel in striking Iran to deal a permanent blow to its nuclear program.

Kurilla — who oversees military missions throughout the 21-country region — would lead any operation that Trump orders targeting Iran.