task

It was another bold statement from United States President Donald Trump: An edict in his usual inflated style, claiming that the US had almost sealed Iran off from the rest of the world.

“Very little gets into, or out of, Iran!” the US president posted on his Truth Social account on Sunday, a day after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced its latest plan to choke Tehran’s military supply networks.

On Sunday, CENTCOM announced Task Force Iron Gate – a unit targeting land routes and the Caspian Sea, which will aim to prevent Iran from using ground routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials.

Trump’s message on Truth Social claimed that the task force was “in full force and effect” in Iran – and that between this and the US naval blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the US had virtually cut off what enters and exits the country.

But analysts say a small intelligence-focused unit cannot seal Iran’s borders or stop its extensive procurement networks without regional cooperation.

They did warn, however, that attempts to disrupt these networks could draw neighbouring countries into the conflict and undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts in the US-Israel war on Iran.

“I see Task Force Iron Gate as a desperate attempt to extend the American naval blockade into Iran’s continental supply networks without deploying American troops along its borders,” Andreas Krieg, an associate professor of defence studies at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera.

An ‘intelligence fusion cell’

Task Force Iron Gate aims to find out where “weapons systems are coming in, how they could potentially be cut off” and how “Iran is transporting its energy”, Michael Mulroy, a former US deputy assistant defence secretary for the Middle East, has told Al Jazeera.

Based in Tampa, Florida, the unit will coordinate with other US government agencies “on 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”, CENTCOM has said.

Analysts said the task force could coordinate sanctions enforcement, pressure foreign suppliers, and work with partner countries to disrupt smuggling.

According to Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, the US mission would rely on a combination of satellite imagery, drones, intercepted communications, financial intelligence and intelligence-sharing.

“Then, frankly, I would expect some use of force – strikes or discreet ground operations – to confiscate components, whether done by US forces or the Israelis,” the analyst told Al Jazeera.

“They would want to pass some intelligence on and bring legal and economic pressure to bear outside the Middle East if they think dual-use components are coming from the West … but if the target is supplies from Russia and China, that will be tougher.”

While CENTCOM’s announcement did not explicitly identify Iran’s weapons trade with Russia, analysts say the unit could be seen as an attempt to disrupt supply networks that include Russian connections.

US media have reported that Russia has sent drone components and explosives to Iran via the Caspian Sea. There are also claims that Russian technology could be helping Iran develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles.

Krieg agreed the task force would combine methods, but stated that it would operate largely as an “intelligence fusion cell”.

“Twenty people cannot police thousands of kilometres of frontiers,” he said.

“The objective is not necessarily to stop every shipment, but to make Iranian military procurement progressively more expensive, slower and riskier,” he added.

The obstacle the US mission will face, however, is political rather than technological, he argued. Iran’s neighbours will be largely unwilling to cooperate.

“Iraq offers Washington some leverage, but Iranian-aligned networks remain deeply embedded in its economy and security institutions,” he explained.

Azerbaijan could cooperate discreetly, while Turkmenistan would be “extremely reluctant” to jeopardise its neutrality or relationships with Russia and China, said the professor.

Pakistan is particularly unlikely to participate openly because it is currently mediating between Washington and Tehran, he added. Turkiye also has little interest in turning its border with Iran into another confrontation, said Krieg.

“Without these countries’ cooperation, Washington can disrupt individual networks but cannot effectively seal Iran’s borders,” he said.

Rami Khouri, a public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut and a non-resident senior fellow at the Arab Center Washington DC, has previously told Al Jazeera that Iran’s history as a trading nation for thousands of years makes the US mission near impossible.

“There’s an enormous web of contacts that Iran has had for thousands of years with traders and partners and allies all over the region, especially in Asia – it’s virtually impossible for the US to seal off every one,” he said.

“There are people all over the region who have links with Iran, some very close, some just commercial,” he said.

Mission creep or mission impossible?

Krieg expressed concern about the potential for mission creep — that the task force’s action could widen the war to new arenas.

“Intelligence gathering can quickly become pressure for seizures, border closures or military strikes against suspected logistical infrastructure,” he said.

“This would extend America’s economic war into the sovereign territory of neighbouring states.”

Iran’s response in turn would likely be asymmetrical, “intensifying maritime coercion in Hormuz and potentially using the Houthis to increase pressure around Bab al-Mandeb and Saudi Arabia”, Krieg added.

Joe Kent, a former top US counterterrorism official, has also argued that the new task force is an attempt by CENTCOM to subvert ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“This is CENTCOM inviting Iran to escalate while the vice president is attempting to negotiate with the Iranians,” Kent, who resigned in March in protest against the US’s war on Iran, said on X following the US military’s announcement.

“This is, as CENTCOM calls it, ‘policy by CONOP’, when the military finds a way to subvert the White House without blatantly disobeying the President, by taking actions that will ensure a war escalates or perpetuates.”

The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, has reported that CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper is among the many officials, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pressing Trump to renew attacks on Iran.

Some analysts, however, argue that without US access to the Caspian Sea, troops on the ground, or cooperation from neighbouring states, the task force will have limited practical impact.

Mahjoob Zweiri, a professor of contemporary history and politics at Qatar University, has told Al Jazeera that the new initiative may just be symbolic because of the lack of US military presence on the Caspian Sea.

“America has no access to the sea, unless some of the neighbouring countries like Azerbaijan or Armenia or others collaborate [with them] … And they’re not collaborating on this because they don’t want to upset Russia,” said Zweiri. “It will require … troops on the ground, and this is unlikely to happen.”

As the threat of renewed war grows, Washington is expanding efforts to choke Tehran’s military supply networks, including through Task Force Iron Gate – a unit targeting land routes and the Caspian Sea.

With it, the US military ⁠⁠⁠⁠is trying to prevent Iran from using ground routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday.

The same day, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced ambitious plans for underground complexes capable of sustaining missile and drone production under bombardment. That announcement came amid reports of ongoing construction near Iranian missile bases, based on satellite imagery and previous claims by Tehran that US strikes failed to destroy its underground facilities.

Here’s what we know about the US task force:

What is the purpose of the task force?

Task Force Iron Gate will aim to find out where “weapons systems are coming in, how they could potentially be cut off” and how “Iran is transporting its energy”, Michael Mulroy, a former US deputy assistant defence secretary for the Middle East, told Al Jazeera.

It expands on the US blockade of Iranian ports to cover Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea and will reportedly be run by 20 civilian and military personnel.

Iran shares borders with seven countries – Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan Turkiye and Turkmenistan.

Based in Tampa, Florida, the unit will coordinate with other US government agencies “on 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”, CENTCOM said. Task Force Iron Gate will reinforce “the success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at sea”, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said.

If US President Donald Trump ramps up the war, there will likely be attacks on this “series of targets”, said Mulroy.

“Unlike Operation Epic Fury, which primarily (focused) 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,” Mulroy said. “It’s primarily a coordination body that’s looking for how the US can increase its economic strangulation strategy by going after the ground routes as they’ve already covered a majority of the maritime routes.”

The IRGC dismissed the US military plan as “just a play on words”.

“The Americans cannot achieve their goal through this, which is to apply severe economic pressure to collapse and disintegrate the Iranian economy,” said IRGC spokesman Sardar Mohebi, as reported by the Fars news agency.

Washington previously “claimed that Iran will suffer an economic collapse within two weeks, but we witnessed that this did not happen”, he added.

Is the task force a response to reports of Russia-Iran weapons ties?

While CENTCOM’s announcement did not explicitly identify Iran’s weapons trade with Russia, analysts say the unit could be seen as an attempt to disrupt supply networks that include Russian connections.

US media have reported that Russia has sent drone components and explosives to Iran via the Caspian Sea. There are also claims that Russian technology could be helping Iran develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles.

Mahjoob Zweiri, a professor of contemporary history and politics at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that reports of military equipment imported via Russia are a “real concern” for the United States.

The task force therefore could “cause a confrontation with Russia”, he said.

Rami Khouri, a public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut and a non-resident senior fellow at the Arab Center in Washington, said of the new unit: “The US really doesn’t quite know what to do about Iran as we’ve seen, and it’s doing things off the cuff” – a strategy that has led to little success.

Can the US really choke off Iran’s supply lines?

Khouri pointed to Iran’s history as a trading nation for thousands of years as evidence that the US mission is near impossible.

“There’s an enormous web of contacts that Iran has had for thousands of years with traders and partners and allies all over the region, especially in Asia –  it’s virtually impossible for the US to seal off every one,” he said.

While the US can impose a blockade or sanctions on Iran, it cannot control the behaviour of everyone from the Russians, to the Chinese, to the Emiratis and beyond, said the analyst.

“There are people all over the region who have links with Iran, some very close, some just commercial,” he said.

A lot of the materials that go into Iran’s weapons systems are bought from some other countries, – some even from the US or Europeans – and then they are channelled through companies in Asia, Khouri added.

Could this change the course of the war?

Former Trump aide and top counterterrorism official Joe Kent, who resigned in March due to the US’s war on Iran, said the new task force is an attempt by CENTCOM to subvert ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“This is CENTCOM inviting Iran to escalate while the vice president is attempting to negotiate with the Iranians,” Kent posted on X. “This is, as CENTCOM calls it, ‘policy by CONOP’, when the military finds a way to subvert the White House without blatantly disobeying the President, by taking actions that will ensure a war escalates or perpetuates.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, CENTCOM chief Cooper is among the many officials, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pressing Trump to renew attacks on Iran.

The task force may also just be symbolic because the US has no military presence on the Caspian Sea, said Zweiri.

“America has no access to the sea, unless some of the neighbouring countries like Azerbaijan or Armenia or others collaborate [with them] … And they’re not collaborating on this because they don’t want to upset Russia,” he said. “It will require … troops on the ground, and this is unlikely to happen.”

Zweiri also said that the Caspian Sea’s contribution to Iran’s economy is just 11 percent, so the task force’s actions won’t have much negative impact on Tehran.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify this figure but the Caspian Sea accounts for only a fraction of Iran’s overall maritime trade, according to the Soufan Center based in New York City.

The operation is to prevent Iran from using ground routes to transport weapons and other materials, US Central Command says.

The United States military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced a plan to block Iran’s 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 “to prevent Iran from using ground routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials”.

Task Force Iron Gate will reinforce “the success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at sea”, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said.

Based in Tampa, Florida, the task force will coordinate with other US government agencies “on 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”, CENTCOM said.

Michael Mulroy, a former US deputy assistant defence secretary for the Middle East, told Al Jazeera the task force’s role will be to find out where “weapons systems are coming in, how they could potentially be cut off”, and how “Iran is transporting its energy”.

He added that if US President Donald Trump orders an escalation to the war, it will likely be attacks on this “series of targets”.

“Unlike 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,” 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 “military 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 spaces”, it said in a statement.

“Enforcement actions since July have resulted in U.S. forces redirecting 147 commercial vessels that complied”, and disabling “five merchant ships that refused to comply”, it added.

Explosions reported

On Saturday, Iran’s 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 “several explosions” in the cities of Jask, Sirik and Bandar Abbas.

Trump confirmed new strikes on Qeshm Island a day earlier, but downplayed them as “minor”. He added that Tehran still wants a deal as Qatari-mediated talks continue.

Meanwhile, Iran’s 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 “unsafe” part of the strait with their navigation systems off. They “suffered severe damage and stopped after hitting sea mines”.

Big Brother fans were floored by what one housemate said as they gave their honest opinion

Some Big Brother viewers were left stunned over one star’s comments.

Fans of ITV’s reality series are furious after one housemate was asked for their honest opinion of a fellow contestant. Their comment has been branded as ‘insane’.

Tonight’s episode (October 25) saw the aftermath of Harry’s eviction on Friday. It also saw the house be rattled not just by the result but by what they believe they heard shouted and cheered by the crowd who attended the live show.

The next day, the group were gathered on the sofas for the latest task. Big Brother told them: “Housemates, after six weeks together, you could say you’ve become family. A big, dysfunctional family. To help put the ‘fun’ back in dysfunctional, today, Big Brother will be running family therapy sessions. If you complete the therapy sessions to Big Brother’s satisfaction, you will receive a special reward.”

Later, the housemates were called once again for the final part of the challenge, which was called Honesty Therapy. Each housemate was forced to pick two others. Their first pick must then give their brutally honest opinion about the other.

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While previous scenes during the episode saw some housemates rebuild their relationships, including Rochelle and Twinks, Twinks and Omar, Omar and Rhianna and Yasmin and Sam, the task threatened to ruin it all.

Sam went first and said: I think one person here is very right to the point and that would be Philip. So Philip, I’d like to hear your honest opinion about Yasmin.”

Twinks commented: “This is savage, isn’t it.” Philip then stood up and partially tongue in cheek commented: “Well Yasmin, you get on my nerves sometimes, girl…I’m up to here with you. You’re always trying to fix people’s problems, fix your f****** own before anyone else’s and stop getting in people’s business, bone collecting.”

However, Rochelle was asked to give her view on Catrin. Rochelle quipped: “You’re a pig.” Even some housemates were taken aback as Philip muttered: “You can’t say that.”

Rochelle tried to expand on her comments and explained: “Sometimes you’re greedy with the chocolates. Just the sweets.”

Catrin did not seem sure how to respond but she was then asked to share her view on Rochelle in turn. She said: “Sometimes I can’t finish my sentence. Maybe don’t cut across people. Sometimes it’d be nice to compliment people rather than say the worst things.”

Fans watching along at home were taken aback by Rochelle’s comments. They were furious that she would say such a thing and one person posted on social media: “Rochelle calling Cat a pig was out of order especially in front of everybody.”

Another added: “How can Rochelle actually look Catrin in the face & say ‘You’re a pig’? So rude. Doesn’t she steal all the salt and vinegar crisps every week and stash them in her drawer.”

Someone else commented: “Rochelle just went on Cat and called her a pig. Those tears can stay where they were.”

While one person replied: “Calling someone a pig is so outrageous!” One fan put forward: “You’re a pig is actually insane actually but am I shocked, no! It’s Rochelle we are talking about.”

Big Brother continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

The Chargers will have their two top wide receivers back Sunday as they seek their first win of the season against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.

Ladd McConkey (foot) and Quentin Johnston (chest) are each off the injury report after missing the Chargers’ Week 5 loss to the Denver Broncos.

“Heck yeah. Fired up about that,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Really good week of preparation. … Excited for this opportunity.”

Harbaugh said he didn’t know whether McConkey or Johnston would have limited snaps.

The Chargers, though, could use all the reinforcements they can get. They enter Arrowhead Stadium averaging 16.8 points per game — third-worst in the NFL — eager to snap a nightmare five-game skid heading into their bye week.

Tre’ Harris, who led the Chargers’ banged-up wideout unit against the Broncos, is out with a hamstring injury; KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring) is questionable with the same ailment.

Rookie wideout Brenen Thompson (quad), whose unparalleled speed helps open up offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s scheme, is also questionable after missing the last three games.

Quarterback Justin Herbert isn’t the type to complain about working with limited options.

“You have to try to keep the game the same,” Herbert said. “You can’t let it affect you too much.”

But it’s refreshing to have McConkey and Johnston back.

“Yeah, it was awesome to see those guys out there,” Herbert said Wednesday. “They’ve made so many plays for us. And, you know, we expect them to make more plays for us, too.

“To have those guys back out there — I know they’re doing everything they can to be out back out there for this team.”

Unfortunately for the Chargers, the offensive line is still severely hobbled.

Chargers offensive linemen, from left, guard Logan Taylor, guard Alex Harkey, center Jake Slaughter and guard Cole Strange run onto the field with quarterback Justin Herbert during a loss to the Denver Broncos on Oct. 11.

(Scott Strazzante / Associated Press)

Right tackle Joe Alt (neck) and left guard Kayode Awosika (fibula) remain out, meaning rookie center Jake Slaughter will continue to anchor a front that has featured several inexperienced players over the last two games.

The offensive line was already down left tackle Rashawn Slater (ankle), who is on injured reserve, and center Tyler Biadasz, whose season was over before it started when he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament tear in August.

McDaniel liked what he saw from the offensive line against the Broncos. He’s optimistic, really with no other choice, about the unit entering the matchup with the Chiefs, a team allowing the NFL’s seventh-fewest points per game (19.3).

“There [were] a lot of positives from the offensive line perspective,” McDaniel said. “I’ve never been a part of that many rookies playing at once. Fortunately, we drafted the right guys, and they [are] made of the right stuff. … There was a lot to build on.”

Kansas City, as usual over the last decade, will be a force to reckon with — especially at home.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and new running back Kenneth Walker III have the Chiefs averaging the fifth-most points per game (29.5) and the second-most yards per game (412) amid a 4-0 start.

“Explosiveness, man,” Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack said. “[Walker is] breaking tackles. Just the ability to create plays between him and [Mahomes], man. That’s a special duo there in that backfield.”

One the Chargers will have trouble stopping, as they’ll also be without key defensive players like safety Derwin James Jr.

Winning in the NFL is already challenging enough. But for the injury-riddled Chargers, it’s been impossible so far, and it won’t be any easier Sunday.

“Communicating and keeping your poise and all those factors,” Harbaugh said of preparing for the loud environment in Kansas City.