US Central Command forms task force to disrupt Iran's land supply routes

The US Central Command has created Task Force Iron Gate to disrupt Iran's land-based transport of advanced weapons and restricted goods, expanding efforts beyond existing naval blockades. The new group will monitor and intercept these supply routes. Based in Tampa, Florida, the task force includes about 20 civilian and military personnel who will coordinate with other US agencies to detect and stop movements of weapons, dual-use technologies, and illegal revenue across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper directed the formation. The initiative complements a naval blockade that has prevented over $25 billion in Iranian crude oil exports in recent months, with humanitarian aid exempted. The strategy covers land routes, the Caspian Sea, and Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.