US launches task force to disrupt Iran’s land-based supply routes

What the report says

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday it has set up a new task force aimed at disrupting Iran’s ground-based supply routes, expanding a months-long effort to block Iranian maritime traffic in and around the Strait of Hormuz. According to CENTCOM, the initiative is intended to stop Iran from moving advanced weapons, dual-use technologies, sanctioned goods and other materials across land borders and the Caspian Sea.

CENTCOM said the group, called Task Force Iron Gate, is based in Tampa, Florida, and will work with other US government agencies. Admiral Brad Cooper said the move is meant to strengthen what he described as the success of the sea blockade. A former Pentagon official quoted by Al Jazeera said the task force is likely to focus on identifying where weapons and related supplies enter Iran and how those routes could be cut off.

The announcement came as tensions in the region remained high. CENTCOM separately said it disabled a commercial cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman as part of its blockade campaign. On the same day, Iranian state media reported explosions on Qeshm Island and in nearby coastal cities, while Iranian officials also reported damage to two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz. Al Jazeera reported that the developments come amid ongoing US-Iran tensions and continued Qatari-mediated talks.