The United States militaryâÂÂs Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced a plan to block IranâÂÂs land-based supply routes, expanding its months-long naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, announced on Saturday that it had established a new task force âÂÂto prevent Iran from using ground routes to transport advanced weapons and other materialsâÂÂ.
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Task Force Iron Gate will reinforce âÂÂthe success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at seaâÂÂ, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said.
Based in Tampa, Florida, the task force will coordinate with other US government agencies âÂÂon preventing the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue streams across IranâÂÂs land borders and the Caspian SeaâÂÂ, CENTCOM said.
Michael Mulroy, a former US deputy assistant defence secretary for the Middle East, told Al Jazeera the task forceâÂÂs role will be to find out where âÂÂweapons systems are coming in, how they could potentially be cut offâÂÂ, and how âÂÂIran is transporting its energyâÂÂ.
He added that if US President Donald Trump orders an escalation to the war, it will likely be attacks on this âÂÂseries of targetsâÂÂ.
âÂÂUnlike Operation Epic Fury, which primarily focuses on military targets, I think these targets will be focused on economic and infrastructure targets, as part of this comprehensive plan to cut the regime off from its ability to fight and ability to fund itself,â Mulroy told Al Jazeera.
CENTCOM separately said on Saturday that it had disabled a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman as part of its blockade of Iranian ports.
A US âÂÂmilitary aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of St. Kitts-flagged M/V Huda, disabling the ship after CENTCOM forces directed the crew to abandon targeted spacesâÂÂ, it said in a statement.
âÂÂEnforcement actions since July have resulted in U.S. forces redirecting 147 commercial vessels that compliedâÂÂ, and disabling âÂÂfive merchant ships that refused to complyâÂÂ, it added.
Explosions reported
On Saturday, IranâÂÂs official news agency IRNA reported the sound of two explosions on Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz.
IRNA also reported the sound of âÂÂseveral explosionsâ in the cities of Jask, Sirik and Bandar Abbas.
Trump confirmed new strikes on Qeshm Island a day earlier, but downplayed them as âÂÂminorâÂÂ. He added that Tehran still wants a deal as Qatari-mediated talks continue.
Meanwhile, IranâÂÂs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy reported that two oil tankers struck mines near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
Iranian state television, citing the navy, said the tankers had passed through an âÂÂunsafeâ part of the strait with their navigation systems off. They âÂÂsuffered severe damage and stopped after hitting sea minesâÂÂ.