Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

Reuters

After a months-long naval blockade on Iran, the US military is setting up a task force to bolster Washington’s efforts to restrict Tehran’s movement of advanced weapons systems and other sanctioned material across its land borders and the ⁠Caspian Sea.

The announcement ⁠of the task force, which has not been previously reported, will be made later on Saturday by the US Central Command, according to a ⁠statement seen by Reuters ahead of its release.

Task Force Iron Gate, as it will be called, will be based in Tampa, Florida, and will coordinate with other US government agencies. Beyond movement of weapons, it will also focus on dual-use and illegal revenue streams.

“Strengthening CENTCOM’s ⁠collaboration ⁠with US interagency partners will further constrain Iran’s ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military,” Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of Central Command, said in a statement.

Central Command estimated that its naval blockade has prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil.

At least 22 hurt after 5.5 magnitude earthquake strikes central Japan

At least 22 hurt after 5.5 magnitude earthquake strikes central Japan

By AP

 A strong earthquake shakes central Japan, shattering store windows, causing people to flee buildings and leaving at least 22 people injured, according to local media.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency puts the quake’s magnitude at 5.7, while the US Geological Survey reported it at magnitude 5.5. Smaller aftershocks are reported.

A wide area near Aichi Prefecture is affected, including the city of Hamamatsu, the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara, and nearby prefectures of Yamanashi, where Mount Fuji is located, as well as Gifu

Japanese TV footage shows shattered store windows and scattered shards of glass on the streets. A bookstore is left with mounds of books that had flown off the shelves. The injuries include people who fell down stairs while they were trying to flee.

The quake, which struck at 1:04 a.m., was located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) below the earth’s surface in Shizuoka Prefecture. Aichi and Shizuoka are neighboring regions. They are far enough from Tokyo that the quake was not felt there. The most violent shaking was felt in Aichi, according to official seismic assessments.

The Shinkansen bullet trains were running at slower speeds in the affected areas as a precautionary measure. Sometimes quakes can damage the railways the trains run on.

US Military STRIKES St. Kitts-Flagged Cargo Vessel in Gulf of Oman After Crew Repeatedly DEFIES Trump’s Naval Blockade Against Iran

US Military STRIKES St. Kitts-Flagged Cargo Vessel in Gulf of Oman After Crew Repeatedly DEFIES Trump’s Naval Blockade Against Iran — CENTCOM Warns More Vessels to Comply

Jim Hᴏft

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces took decisive action in the Gulf of Oman on November 7, disabling the St. Kitts-flagged commercial cargo vessel M/V Huda after its civilian crew repeatedly ignored warnings and attempted to violate America’s naval blockade against Iran multiple times.

According to CENTCOM, the ship’s crew received repeated warnings but continued attempting to violate the blockade.

American forces ultimately responded with military force.

A U.S. military aircraft launched precision-guided munitions into the stern of the vessel, disabling the ship and bringing its attempted departure to an abrupt halt.

Before the strike, U.S. forces instructed the civilian crew to evacuate the sections of the vessel that would be targeted.

As The Gateway Pundit previously reported, this is far from the first time American forces have used precision strikes to stop vessels attempting to challenge Trump’s blockade.

On October 10, The Gateway Pundit’s Cristina Laila reported that a U.S. fighter jet struck the Panama-flagged M/V Ocean Molica, also known as the Arika Sun, after its crew ignored repeated warnings while attempting to transit the Gulf of Oman.

The precision strike disabled the ship’s propulsion system. CENTCOM reported that no crew members were harmed.

In September, The Gateway Pundit reported that American forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the IRGC allegedly launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. Navy warship.

The targeted tankers were identified as the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco, and M/T Derya.

CENTCOM said crews were directed to abandon those vessels before American forces attacked.

And in April, The Gateway Pundit reported that the U.S. Navy intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship M/V Touska after it attempted to challenge the blockade.

The USS Spruance disabled the vessel’s propulsion system after its crew refused repeated warnings. U.S. Marines subsequently boarded the ship.

President Trump personally announced the operation, describing how American forces had stopped the vessel by striking its engine room.

Paris agitators defy police orders, renew nationwide protests centered in Paris

Paris agitators defy police orders, renew nationwide protests centered in Paris

Robert McGreevy

Protesters in France are continuing to demonstrate in Paris and across the nation despite police prohibitions on gatherings in the capital.

The Paris Police Prefecture denied numerous formal requests for permits allowing protests in various areas of the city, citing October riots that led to thousands of arrests and violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement.

"These events demonstrated the intention of certain individuals to target the institutions of the Republic, specifically through actions directed against public buildings and State services in order to undermine the foundations of the Republic," the police wrote, according to a Fox News Digital translation of a police order.

"That these elements characterize a particular and serious risk to public institutions, agent safety, and the normal functioning of public services during such demonstrations," the statement continued.

Police also prohibited a rally of France's popular Yellow Vest protest movement scheduled for Place de la Concorde, citing security concerns.

Despite the ban, prominent Yellow Vest members attended and were arrested at the National Assembly in front of Place de la Concorde.

Benjamin Ball, a member of the Yellow Vests coordination group, and spokesperson Azelma Sigaux, were both arrested early in the afternoon Saturday, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

France's Interior Ministry anticipated 170,000 people to protest nationwide Saturday, a day marking the fourth straight week of protests.

The country deployed 70,000 security forces to quell the demonstrations, according to the AFP.

"The risk is exactly the same as on previous Saturdays," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, instructing authorities "not to lower their guard," AFP reported.

Videos and photos showed French authorities deploying tear gas and detaining rioters while fires burned throughout Paris.

French authorities also report that protesters have lobbed projectiles at police.

Demonstrators are protesting high costs of living, among other things, as student and teacher unions join Yellow Vests at the mass rallies.

On Monday, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to meet with leaders from the unions to discuss wages and purchasing power, AFP reported.

Despite the planned tête-à-tête, union leaders are calling for fresh strikes on Tuesday to keep the pressure on the government, claiming the unions are "in a position of strength (and) the government in a position of weakness and starting to yield."

Live Updates: U.S. expands naval blockade to include task force on disrupting ground transport

Live Updates: U.S. expands naval blockade to include task force on disrupting ground transport

 

What to know about the Iran war today:

• The U.S. military's Central Command announced Friday it is offering up to $20 million and possible relocation in exchange for information about Iran's nuclear program, its facilities, equipment or personnel.
• President Trump confirmed on Friday the U.S. carried out "minor strikes" on Iran, after local state media reported missiles striking Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz
• Central Command also announced the creation of Task Force Iron Gate, which is supposed to extend the success of the naval blockade to overland routes of trade. The group will be tasked with preventing military technology and illegal revenue streams from entering or exiting Iranian borders, including via the Caspian Sea, but it was unclear if any military force would be brought to bear.

U.S. forces disabled commercial vessel in Gulf of Oman, CENTCOM says

U.S. forces disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday after the ship's civilian crew ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times, U.S. Central Command said.

A U.S. military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of St.Kitts-flagged M/V Huda, which disabled the ship after the crew was directed to abandon targeted spaces. The cargo vessel tried to depart regional waters after visiting an Iranian port, CENTCOM said.

"All mariners transiting near Iranian coastal areas or surrounding waters are advised to heed blockade warnings from U.S. forces," CENTCOM said.

Earlier Saturday, CENTCOM said "strict enforcement" of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz continues.

Iran established a chokehold on the strait, a vital strategic waterway in global trade, at the beginning of the war, and has claimed attacks on tankers. The U.S. says its blockade had redirected 144 commercial vessels through the end of October.

U.S. launches new task force to disrupt Iranian ground shipping routes

In what the U.S. military is calling an expansion of the naval blockade, U.S. Central Command announced a new task force Saturday aimed at disrupting the illegal shipment of prohibited items like military technology or illegal revenue streams over ground transportation routes.

"The establishment of Task Force Iron Gate reinforces the success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at sea," U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement. "Strengthening CENTCOM's collaboration with U.S. interagency partners will further constrain Iran's ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military."

The U.S. said the task force will be made up of about 20 civilian and military personnel, based in Florida, and will be tasked with the goal of "preventing the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue streams across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea."

The announcement made no mention of how the task force would be carrying out its goal, including whether any military operations will be involved.

China, Iran's largest trade partner, has taken to conducting commerce over land, especially by train across central Asia due to the blockade on Iranian ports. The U.S. said the blockade has prevented some $25 billion in Iranian crude oil from being sold, much of it in Asia.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard lifts self-imposed missile-range limit

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it has lifted a self-proclaimed limit of 1,200 miles on the range of its ballistic missiles, suggesting the country may seek to develop missiles capable of reaching more distant targets amid fears of renewed all-out war.

The comments by the spokesman of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard came days after the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khomeini, warned "any kind and level of threat" from the U.S. or Israel would face a response without geographic limits.

Asked at a Tehran press conference about the limit on missile ranges, Gen. Hossein Mohebbi said, "That restriction has been lifted for us."

He did not say whether Iran had missiles capable of exceeding the limit, saying only Iran would "demonstrate these capabilities in practice" rather than make statements.

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