The top U.S. commander in Iraq said Thursday he is likely to call for further troop reductions after a 45-day pause at the end of July.

“My sense is that I will be able to make a recommendation at that time for further reductions,” Gen. David H. Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee, saying his recommendation “could include major combat formations.”

Petraeus is in the process of removing five brigades of U.S. troops brought in last year in a “surge” designed to stabilize the security of Iraq and buy time for political reconciliation among its warring factions. That will reduce force levels in Iraq to about 140,000 troops. During his testimony to Congress in April, he called for a 45-day pause at the end of July to assess the situation.

Petraeus also said the United States “likely will do a bit more” with its troop commitments to Afghanistan, acknowledging the comments of U.S. commanders there of the need for more forces.

The committee was conducting a hearing on the nomination of Petraeus to head the U.S. Central Command, based in Tampa, Fla., which oversees U.S. forces from Sudan to Pakistan. A trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan to meet with leaders there would be among his first activities if confirmed by the full Senate.

Petraeus would replace Adm. William J. Fallon, who stepped down in April amid perceptions that he had deviated from the administration’s hard-line approach to Iran and its plan to continue high U.S. troop levels in Iraq.

The Senate panel also heard from Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, who served as Petraeus’ deputy in Iraq and has been nominated to replace him.

Both men are expected to win Senate confirmation easily.