US launches task force to disrupt land routes into Iran

The US military announced a 20-member task force to disrupt land routes into Iran, allegedly used for weapons and illicit material shipments, expanding its naval blockade during the eight-month war. The task force, based in Florida with civilian and military personnel, will coordinate with US agencies to prevent movement of advanced weapons, dual-use technologies, and illegal revenue across Iran's land borders and Caspian Sea. CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper said it will constrain Iran's ability to finance terrorism and rebuild weapons factories. Iran's Revolutionary Guard dismissed the effort, with spokesman Hossein Mohebi saying it "will fail" and won't collapse Iran's economy. The naval blockade has reportedly prevented over $25 billion in Iranian crude oil exports, following Tehran's restrictions on Strait of Hormuz passage.