US task force aims to cut off Iran’s transport of advanced weapons

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Task Force Iron Gate to prevent Iran from using land routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials. Based in Tampa and staffed by 20 civilian and military personnel, the unit will extend US efforts beyond a blockade of Iranian ports to target land borders and the Caspian Sea. Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Michael Mulroy said it would seek to identify weapons supply routes and how Iran transports energy. The same day, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced plans for underground complexes intended to sustain missile and drone production under bombardment.