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Games Workshop brings seven classic Warhammer games to Steam for the first time

Fans of miniature plastic soldiers, rejoice. Games Workshop has brought a host of older Warhammer and Warhammer 40K video games to Steam for the first time, alongside a dozen games that haven’t been available on Valve’s storefront for a few years. The new to Steam releases consist of three games from the Warhammer fantasy range — Shadow of the Horned Rat, Mark of Chaos – Gold Edition and Dark Omen — and four from its sci-fi 40K universe — Chaos Gate, Fire Warrior, Final Liberation and Rites of War.

If you’re a Warhammer fan of a certain age, some of these may be formative experiences for you. I know they are for me. I can’t count how many hours I spent playing Chaos Gate when I first discovered 40K at the age of 10. Yes, it was an XCOM clone, but by that point I didn’t know about the MicroProse original, and Space Marines were cool.

Years later and as a Tau collector at the time, I also loved Fire Warrior, even if it wasn’t the most polished or deep first-person shooter. I haven’t played the other five games included in today’s announcement, but I’ve heard Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat and Warhammer 40K: Rites of War are pretty good if you’re into the setting or, in the latter case, a fan of the Eldar.

To celebrate the re-release of these old gems, Games Workshop is running a Classics sale on Steam, with discounts on all 19 re-releases. Plus, you can get discounts on some more recent releases, including the excellent Dawn of War – Definitive Edition and Dawn of War 2 – Anniversary Edition. If you’re new to the Warhammer 40K universe, and would rather avoid a plastic addiction, one of those would be my first port of call, along with the excellent Space Marine 2.

April 13, 2026
Xbox CEO called Game Pass ‘too expensive for players’ in a leaked memo

Xbox’s new chief exec, Asha Sharma, has only been in charge for a few months but things already seem like they might be changing for the better. Or at the very least, they might be getting cheaper. The Verge reported that the new Xbox CEO wrote a memo to employees addressing the current pricing of the Game Pass subscription service.

“Game Pass is central to gaming value on Xbox. It’s also clear that the current model isn’t the final one,” Sharma allegedly said. “Short term, Game Pass has become too expensive for players, so we need a better value equation. Long term, we will evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system which will take time to test and learn around.”

After Microsoft upped the price for Game Pass twice within 15 months, many of us certainly felt that the service had gotten too costly to keep. Xbox is still offering a wide range of titles on Game Pass; the April update is adding indies like Hades 2 and new Double Fine project Kiln alongside AAA hits like the remake of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The Verge‘s sources suggested that the addition of the CoD franchise might have been a factor in some of the Game Pass price increases, since Microsoft would lose out on revenue by making the latest entries in the series available under the subscription.

It’s too early to say whether this memo from Sharma means Xbox is on the brink of a resurgence. And there are changes the company could make, like adding ever more complicated tiers, that would further hamper interest and uptake of Game Pass. But acknowledging the problem, even internally, is refreshing to see after so many baffling moves from Xbox in recent years.

April 13, 2026
This little-known token just posted a 6,000% rally — and traders are trying to figure out why

$RAVE, the native token of RaveDAO, has surged more than 6,000% over the past month, capping off one of the most explosive rallies in the crypto market this year and reigniting debate about speculative excesses in digital assets.

The token jumped 198% in the last 24 hours alone and more than 5,600% over the past week, briefly pushing it into the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Prices climbed from roughly $0.25 to above $14 in just seven days, drawing widespread attention across trading platforms and social media.

RaveDAO positions itself as a Web3 music protocol aimed at bridging electronic dance music (EDM) culture with blockchain-based experiences. Its pitch includes on-chain ticketing, crypto-enabled payments at live events, and staking mechanisms tied to real-world rave revenues. The project has claimed partnerships with major industry names including Binance and OKX and reported several million dollars in revenue, helping fuel a narrative of real utility behind the token.

However, market observers say the scale and speed of the rally suggest something more complex, and potentially concerning, beneath the surface.

Blockchain data indicates that only about 24% of $RAVE’s total supply is currently in circulation, with the overwhelming majority held in a small number of wallets, according to a post on X. Three large wallets, widely believed to be controlled by the project team, reportedly hold roughly 90% of the total supply. When expanded to the top 10 wallets, concentration exceeds 98%, leaving only a thin float available for trading.

That structure can amplify price movements dramatically. The analyst pointed to a sequence of events shortly before the rally, when wallets linked to the project quietly transferred millions of tokens to exchanges while prices were still below $0.50.

Within hours, trading activity surged, open interest in derivatives markets spiked above $200 million, and daily volume approached the token’s entire market capitalization.

At the same time, a heavily short-positioned market—reportedly with a majority of traders betting against the token—set the stage for a large-scale short squeeze. As prices rose, forced liquidations accelerated the rally, with millions of dollars in short positions wiped out in a single day.

Such dynamics, combined with thin liquidity, can create rapid, self-reinforcing price spikes that are not necessarily driven by organic demand.

The episode comes amid broader concerns about ongoing vulnerabilities and questionable practices in the crypto sector, including recent exploits and controversies involving other projects. For some analysts, $RAVE’s surge is less a sign of a healthy market recovery and more evidence that speculative froth and opportunistic behavior remain entrenched.

April 13, 2026
A Sense of Anticipation Prevails Among Whales in Bitcoin (BTC) Options Data

As bearish expectations gain strength in the cryptocurrency market, options data reveals that investors are positioning themselves against a potential decline in Bitcoin.

Maxime Seiler, CEO of cryptocurrency trading company STS Digital, stated in his assessment that Bitcoin investors are actively preparing for a bearish scenario. According to Seiler, demand for put options has increased significantly compared to call options. The fact that investors are paying premiums to hedge against downside risks while selling off upside expectations indicates growing anxiety in the markets.

Related News A Cryptocurrency Exchange Issued a Security Alert: Hackers Are Blackmailing Them with User Information

This weak outlook emerged at a time when Bitcoin was trading just above the $70,000 level. Over the weekend, the market was shaken by US President Donald Trump’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, and Bitcoin lost approximately 4% of its value.

The impact of geopolitical developments continued into the new week. On Monday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the Navy would begin inspecting all ships entering and leaving Iranian ports starting at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. This development pushed oil prices back above $100, while rising energy costs brought global inflationary pressures to the forefront.

According to experts, rising oil prices are a significant risk factor that will influence central banks’ monetary policy decisions. Global central bank officials are expected to closely monitor these developments, particularly at their meetings in late April. These policies, which determine the money supply and liquidity conditions, continue to directly impact the price movements of risky assets like Bitcoin.

*This is not investment advice.

April 13, 2026
Live possum snuggles stuffed toys at Australian airport store

Odd News // 3 weeks ago

More than 1,050 people form human shamrock in Dublin, Ohio

March 18 (UPI) — The city of Dublin, Ohio, unofficially broke a Guinness World Record by arranging more than 1,050 people into the shape of a massive shamrock.

April 13, 2026
Soccer Star Who Slammed Chappell Roan After Security Guard Confronted Daughter Says “Matter is Closed” After “New Information”

Less than a month after soccer star Jorginho Frello slammed a security guard he believed worked for Chappell Roan for “extremely aggressive” behavior towards his 11-year-old daughter, Frello is sharing that “new information” has changed his “understanding of parts of what happened” and that he now believes the situation to be “closed.”

On March 21, Frello said that while attending Lollapalooza Brazil, his 11-year-old daughter spotted the “artist she really admires, or used to admire,” tagging Roan twice in his initial Instagram Stories post, during breakfast at their hotel and walked past the artist’s table to make sure it was her.

Frello did not name which of his children he was referring to but his wife, Catherine Harding, shares an 11-year-old daughter, Ada, with Jude Law.

“She didn’t even approach her,” Frello wrote at the time. “She simply walked past the singer’s table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum. She didn’t say anything, didn’t ask for anything.”

What happened next, Frello said, was “completely disproportionate” as a “large security guard” came over to their table and addressed his wife and daughter in an “extremely aggressive manner,” adding that his wife, “shouldn’t allow my daughter to ‘disrespect’ or ‘harass’ other people.”

Frello went on to criticize the artist after the incident left his daughter in tears.

“I’ve lived with football, public exposure, and well-known people for many years, and I understand very well what respect and boundaries are. What happened there was not that. It was just a child admiring someone,” he wrote. “It’s sad to see this kind of treatment coming from those who should understand the importance of fans. At the end of the day, they are the ones who build all of this. I sincerely hope this serves as a moment of reflection. No one should have to go through this, especially not a child.”

In closing, tagging Roan’s Instagram account, he wrote, “WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION.”

Roan responded to the incident the next day, insisting the guard was not her “personal security,” who she didn’t ask to confront the mother and daughter, and Roan said she didn’t even notice them.

“They did not come up to me. They weren’t doing anything. It’s unfair for security to just assume someone doesn’t have good intentions when they have no reason to believe, because there’s no action even taken,” she explained in a video. “I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children. Like, that is crazy. I’m sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming something that you would do something and that if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.

Now, while Frello maintains that “the situation did occur as it was originally described,” he indicates his response was driven more by his protective instinct as a father. His initial statement, he writes on his Instagram Stories on Monday, came about “in the heat of the moment, after hearing that my child and wife had been approached by an adult male security guard in an intimidating way … My priority is, and always will be, protecting my family, and that is exactly what I did.”

Saying the guard “has since confirmed publicly that he was representing another artist at the hotel at the time,” Frello adds it’s now clear that the guard wasn’t acting on Roan’s behalf.

Frello said the incident was a “misunderstanding” and he’s “glad to set the record straight.”

“It’s important to me that this is clarified fairly and accurately,” he said. “I regret the impact this situation has had on Chappell Roan, Catherine, Ada and our family.”

Frello also shared that Roan reached out to his wife “privately” and both sides’ teams “spoke directly.” The artist, he said was “understanding and sympathetic” and he says based on the conversations with Roan’s team, it “became clear that she had no knowledge of what took place at breakfast and had not asked anyone to approach them.”

In conclusion, he said he does “not support or encourage hate speech or online attacks from any side” and stressed the values of “respect, empathy and humility … As far as I am concerned, this matter is closed.”

April 13, 2026
How to Watch ‘Boy Band Confidential,’ Joey Fatone’s ID Docuseries on the Industry’s Dark Side

ID’s latest limited series, Boy Band Confidential, is exposing the secret machinery behind the ’90s boy band boom via revealing interviews with NSYNC’s Lance Bass, Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean and Boyz II Men’s Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman. The four-part docuseries airs over two nights, April 13 and 14, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. PT/ET on ID, and can be livestreamed on any streaming service that carries the network, including DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Philo (with a seven-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.

At a Glance: How to Watch Boy Band Confidential

Following its Investigation Discovery premiere, the four-parter will be available to stream on-demand via HBO Max, which can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for the best bang for your buck. To stream HBO Max for free, opt for a subscription to one of DirecTV’s signature packages — Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate — which gives customers their first three months of HBO Max for free, along with Paramount+ Premium, STARZ, MGM+ and Cinemax (see here for more details on these premium add-ons). Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for any plan, meaning new members can stream Boy Band Confidential (and everything else the packages have to offer) at no cost during the trial period.

Where to Watch Boy Band Confidential: Air Date and Time, Where to Stream Online

Executive produced by NSYNC’s Joey Fatone, the four-part documentary series premieres over two nights, April 13 and 14, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. PT/ET on ID, which can be livestreamed via DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Philo (with a seven-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.

As mentioned, all four episodes will also be available to stream on-demand via HBO Max, which can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for the best deal. Additionally, to stream HBO Max for free, opt for a subscription to one of DirecTV’s signature packages — Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate — which gives customers their first three months of HBO Max for free, along with Paramount+ Premium, STARZ, MGM+ and Cinemax. See here for more details on these premium add-ons and sign up for a five-day free trial period here. Keep reading to learn more about each option.

DirecTV

Five-day free trial; packages from $19.99 per month

ID is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate and Premier. Plus, DirecTV is offering a five-day free trial for its streaming service, meaning new subscribers can catch the doc series at no cost.

When signing up for any of these packages, customers can also add three months of HBO Max (along with Paramount+ Premium, STARZ, MGM+ and Cinemax) for free, which, as mentioned, will have Boy Band Confidential available to stream on-demand. See here for more details on these premium add-ons, which will be offered for three months at no cost during checkout.

Philo

Philo

Seven-day free trial; packages from $25 per month

Watch the ID channel on Philo, one of the most affordable cable alternatives. Following a seven-day free trial period, plans start at $25 per month with access to 70+ channels.

Sling

Half off first month for select plans

ID is included in Sling’s Blue Plan (40+ channels), starting at $45.99 per month.

For the best bang for your buck, opt for Sling’s Orange & Blue plan, which gives subscribers access to everything both plans have to offer, and starts at $60.99 per month. Visit Sling.com for the full channel breakdown of each package.

Hulu + Live TV

Three-day free trial; packages from $89.99 per month

Watch ID for free with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, and starts at $89.99 per month.

April 13, 2026
NBA Fantasy — Salary Cap Edition: 2025-26 recap, part 1

The top manager in NBA Fantasy — Salary Cap Edition for 2025-26 rostered the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey.

The final GameDay has come and gone. No more points. No more transactions.

The book has officially closed on the 2025-26 season of NBA Fantasy — Salary Cap Edition. Fantasy general managers can now rest, no longer needing to keep a close eye on their roster or be prepared to make moves whenever possible to climb league standings.

It’s time to reflect on the champion, memorable moments and identify some All-Fantasy players:

Final podium

The crown belongs to general manager Adam Boustani and his team “Dima Maghreb” of the United Kingdom. He crossed the finish line with 32,611 total fantasy points (TFP) to place first among 63,940 total players for the 2025-26 season.

Across the past 25 weeks, Boustani made 52 transactions and wound up with a roster value of $105.9M. He still had $0.4M in the bank when all was said and done. He outlasted Jack Bones’ “Peace and Love” (32,274 TFP) and Ezra Tsegaye’s “colesaidimdreamville” (32,166 TFP).

Maintaining a perfect balance of stars and bargains allowed Boustani to rake in fantasy points as he started the right players on the right GameDays. His final roster features Nikola Jokić, Tyrese Maxey and Kevin Durant, who ultimately ranked No. 1, No. 4 and No. 7, respectively, in TFP.

Those three stars combined for 11,807 TFP on a total salary of $54.4M, and averaged 168.2 fantasy points per game (FPPG) combined. Their contributions were essential to Boustani’s success, but he also benefited from players who flew under the radar.

The highest-value players on his winning roster were Collin Gillespie, Maxime Raynaud and VJ Edgecombe. Gillespie distinguished himself as this season’s best bargain, producing 30.3 FPPG at $5.6M. Raynaud and Edgecombe, meanwhile, accounted for 61.6 FPPG combined on $13.3M.

Boustani’s roster also featured Amen Thompson (3,398 TFP on $13.7M), Donovan Clingan (2,672 on 8.9), Daniss Jenkins (1,630 on 5.0) and Gui Santos (1,458 on 5.0). This season was also a bit of redemption for Boustani, who finished third overall in 2024-25.

GameDays to Remember

March 10, 2026

The story has been told many times before, but it’s one that will be worth telling for years and years to come. Bam Adebayo put on a performance for the ages with a season-high 110 fantasy points. His 83 points scored that night for the Miami Heat against the Washington Wizards rank second-most all-time for a single game, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 on March 2, 1962. Adebayo also collected nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in the process.

Dec. 25, 2025

If there’s a truly singular talent in today’s league, it’s Jokić. He continues to defy what’s believed to be possible on the hardwood. That was precisely the case on Christmas Day, when the three-time MVP gave the gift of 108 fantasy points. The Denver Nuggets needed overtime to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves, but got plenty of help from Jokić’s 56 points scored, 16 rebounds, 15 assists and two blocks. It was his masterpiece in another masterful fantasy season.

Nov. 10, 2025

This season signified arrival for the Detroit Pistons. Leading them into title contention has been Cade Cunningham, who had a statistical anomaly of an outing with 101 fantasy points against the Wizards. His titanic effort of 46 points scored, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, two blocks and five steals has been overshadowed by more recent performances, but remains quite the feat. A late-season injury pushed him down the TFP rankings, but his 56.1 FPPG were good for 3rd.

All-Fantasy First Team

PG: Luka Dončić — 4,113 TFP (2nd), 64.2 FPPG (2nd), 217.6 FSV (115th)

SG: Jaylen Brown — 3,552 TFP (10th), 50.0 FPPG (9th), 250.1 FSV (64th)

SF: Kevin Durant — 3,598 TFP (7th), 46.1 FPPG (21st), 226.3 FSV (96th)

PF: Jalen Johnson — 3,854 TFP (3rd), 53.5 FPPG (6th), 260.4 FSV (48th)

C: Nikola Jokić — 4,464 TFP (1st), 68.6 FPPG (1st), 194.9 FSV (159th)

All-Fantasy Second Team

PG: Tyrese Maxey — 3,745 TFP (4th), 53.5 FPPG (7th), 240.1 FSV (80th)

SG: Donovan Mitchell — 3,436 TFP (13th), 49.0 FPPG (11th), 226.1 FSV (97th)

SF: Deni Avdija — 3,213 TFP (19th), 49.4 FPPG (10th), 245.3 FSV (71st)

PF: Scottie Barnes — 3,686 TFP (6th), 46.0 FPPG (22nd), 242.5 FSV (75th)

C: Victor Wembanyama — 3,523 TFP (11th), 55.05 FPPG (4th), 185.4 FSV (179th)

All-Fantasy Third Team

PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 3,743 TFP (5th), 55.04 FPPG (5th), 198.0 FSV (154th)

SG: Desmond Bane — 3,030 TFP (24th), 36.9 FPPG (58th), 218.0 FSV (114th)

SF: Kawhi Leonard — 3,138 TFP (21st), 48.2 FPPG (14th), 207.8 FSV (137th)

PF: Julius Randle — 3,307 TFP (17th), 41.8 FPPG (38th), 250.5 FSV (63rd)

C: Alperen Sengun — 3,483 TFP (12th), 48.3 FPPG (13th), 213.7 FSV (124th)

April 13, 2026
US judge dismisses Trump’s $10bn lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein story

Dismissed lawsuit follows Wall Street Journal’s report on a letter allegedly signed by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday.

Published On 13 Apr 2026

A United States federal judge has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s $10bn defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch over a story on Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Miami-based ‌US District Judge Darrin Gayles said on Monday that Trump did not meet the “actual malice” standard that public figures must clear in defamation cases.

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That means public figures must prove not only that a public statement about them was false, but also that the media outlet or person who made the statement ‌acted with reckless disregard for the truth or should have known that it was false.

“This complaint comes nowhere close to this standard,” Gayles wrote. “Quite the opposite.”

The judge noted that reporters from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reached out to Trump for comment beforehand and printed his denial. That allowed readers to decide for themselves what to conclude, cutting against Trump’s assertion that the newspaper acted with actual malice, the judge said.

Gayles said Trump could file an amended version of ⁠the lawsuit by April 27.

In ⁠his lawsuit, Trump called a birthday greeting that he allegedly sent to Epstein, a convicted sex offender, a “fake”. The US president sought $10bn for what he called damage to ‌his reputation. News Corp’s Dow Jones & Company, the WSJ’s parent company, defended the accuracy of its July ‌17, ‌2025 article.

Trump filed the lawsuit after promising to sue the paper almost immediately after it put a new spotlight on his well-documented relationship with Epstein by publishing an article that described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper said bore Trump’s signature and was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday.

A birthday letter that US President Donald Trump allegedly wrote to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein more than 20 years ago is seen as presented by Democrats in the US House of Representatives on their X account on September 8, 2025 [Handout via Reuters]

The letter was subsequently released publicly by the US Congress, which subpoenaed the records from Epstein’s estate.

The ruling marks yet another blow in the Trump administration’s efforts to manage fallout over its release of the Epstein files and the president’s attempts to use the legal system to curb reporting that he finds critical of him.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request by AP for comment.

April 13, 2026
What do we know about sea mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz?
The United States military says its warships will conduct an operation to clear mines laid by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement released on Saturday, Central Command (CENTCOM), which has responsibility for US military operations in the Middle East, said the mission would be undertaken by guided missile destroyers USS Frank E Peterson and USS Michael Murphy and would aim to establish a “safe pathway” for the free flow of global commerce after Iran’s near-closure of the waterway since the war the US and Israel launched on Iran on February 28.

On Wednesday after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire to allow for talks between the US and Iran, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a map of the Strait of Hormuz showing what it said was a safe route for ships to follow through the strait.

The map appears to direct ships farther north towards the Iranian coast and away from the traditional route closer to the coast of Oman.

‘Safe’ routes through the Strait of Hormuz have been announced by Iran’s IRGC, providing new entry and exit pathways for maritime traffic [Screengrab/ Al Jazeera]

In a statement, the IRGC said all vessels must use the new map for navigation due to “the likelihood of the presence of various types of anti-ship mines in the main traffic zone”.

The stakes are high. One-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies had been shipped through the Strait of Hormuz before the war. Even a single mine, experts said, is enough to compel operators to assume a wider threat, in effect invalidating insurance and shutting down their use of the waterway.

(Al Jazeera)

What are sea mines, and how do they work?

Naval mines have been described as the most cost-effective weapons in modern warfare. According to an analysis by the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), sophisticated modern mines can be manufactured for tens of thousands of dollars, yet they can impose economic and strategic costs that are orders of magnitude higher.

Iran’s stockpile is estimated by maritime analysts to number 2,000 to 6,000 mines, a significant portion of which are produced domestically. These weapons generally fall into three categories, based on how they interact with their targets:
- Contact mines: These are traditional designs, such as the M-08, which date back to World War I. They are moored to the seabed and detonate upon physical contact with a ship’s hull.
- Bottom (influence) mines: Models like the Maham-2 rest on the seafloor and are triggered by the acoustic, magnetic or pressure signatures of passing vessels, making them significantly harder to detect than moored varieties – and more dangerous than contact mines because the ship doesn’t even need to touch the mine to trigger an explosion.
- ‘Smart’ and rocket mines: More advanced systems, including reportedly imported Chinese EM-52 rocket mines, remain moored on the seabed at depths of up to 200 metres (656ft). When they detect a ship sailing overhead, they release a rocket that strikes the vessel’s underside.
Where are sea mines placed in the strait?

There is no clear answer. The Iranians have not officially disclosed whether or where they have placed mines, stating only that there may be mines in the strait. The fact that US warships are currently searching for mines suggests Washington does not know the location of possible mines either.

If deployed, however, military analysts at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted that the placement of these mines is likely to have been strategically calculated to exploit the geography of the Gulf, forcing international traffic into narrow, vulnerable channels.

As the map released by the IRGC last week showed, Iran is clearly directing shipping traffic to travel much closer to its coast than it had done before.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Alexandru Cristian Hudisteanu, a retired Romanian naval officer and MARSEC (the North American three-tiered maritime security system) professional, explained that in wargaming scenarios, systematic mining is used to deny access to specific water spaces. “For a strait, one example would be to mine the whole width of the passageway or to deny a section of the actual strait,” Hudisteanu explained.

But he warned that the physical location of mines matters less than the psychological effect they induce. “The mined area does not have to be everywhere to be everywhere in the minds of those who must transit it,” he said.

(Al Jazeera)

Can the US counter Iranian mine-laying operations?

The political tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have reached a fever pitch. In early March, a senior IRGC adviser declared the strait “closed” to enemies while permitting select vessels to pass.

US President Donald Trump has asserted that US forces have destroyed “all” 28 Iranian mine-laying boats. Trump warned of consequences “at a level never before seen” if the mines are not removed.

While CENTCOM has confirmed striking 16 Iranian vessels in an initial wave of attacks, the destruction of an entire mine-laying fleet remains unverified by independent sources.

How easy is it to clear sea mines?

The process of clearing mines – known as mine countermeasures (MCM) – is slow, methodical and high risk. It involves “mine hunting”, using high-resolution sonar to find individual mines, and “minesweeping”, using mechanical or magnetic systems to trigger them.

However, the US Navy is facing what experts call a “mine gap”. The FPRI’s analysis detailed how institutional neglect had led to the retirement of dedicated MCM assets just months before this war. The Navy decommissioned its last four Avenger-class MCM ships in Bahrain in September. Additionally, the MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters, long the backbone of airborne minesweeping, were phased out in August, it reported.

The current US strategy relies on small combat ships built for coastal operations and fitted with MCM mission modules. However, only one of these vessels, the USS Canberra, is currently available in the region.

“MCM units tend to be good at one single job and lousy at anything but minimal point defence,” Hudisteanu told Al Jazeera. He explained that while conducting clearance, these vessels are “virtually sitting ducks” for coastal missiles or fast attack craft, requiring a massive protective screen of destroyers and aircraft to operate.
April 13, 2026