White House / President·Iran war
CENTCOM stands up Task Force Iron Gate to disrupt Iran's land and Caspian supply routes
U.S. Central Command said that on Nov. 7 Adm. Brad Cooper directed the creation of Task Force Iron Gate, an internal staff of about 20 civilian and military personnel based in Tampa, Florida, to coordinate with other U.S. agencies on stopping the movement of advanced weapons, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials and illegal revenue streams across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea. "The establishment of Task Force Iron Gate reinforces the success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at sea," Cooper said, adding that closer work with other agencies "will further constrain Iran's ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military"; CENTCOM said the naval blockade has, in recent months, prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil. Al Jazeera and Fox News reported that CENTCOM also said a U.S. military aircraft disabled the St. Kitts-flagged M/V Huda in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday by firing precision munitions at its stern after the crew was directed to leave targeted spaces, and that enforcement since July has redirected 147 commercial vessels that complied and disabled five merchant ships that refused; Fox News, citing CENTCOM, said U.S. forces have also destroyed 10 Iranian commercial oil tankers from the IRGC's shadow network.
- U.S. Central CommandCENTCOM Launches Task Force to Disrupt Iranian Ground Transit Routes Supporting Illegal Shipments
- Al JazeeraUS launches task force to disrupt Iran's land-based supply routes
- Fox NewsTrump unveils 'Iron Gate' task force against Iran as Saudis launch deadly strikes on Houthi rebels