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WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday announced that Vice Admiral James Malloy was nominated as the new commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and U.S. Fifth Fleet.

U.S. President Donald Trump has made Malloy's nomination, according to a statement issued by Pentagon.

His new position is contingent on his confirmation by the Senate.

If confirmed, Malloy is set to oversee U.S. naval forces and operations in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

Malloy served as deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans, and strategy, the Pentagon said.

Malloy's predecessor, Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, was found dead on Saturday in Bahrain, the headquarters of NAVCENT.

"The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Bahraini Ministry of Interior are cooperating on the investigation, but at this time no foul play is suspected," U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said earlier.

NCIS and Bahraini authorities have not released a cause of death for Stearney, while some officials said it was likely a suicide, U.S. media reported.