Iran ‘may have placed seamines in Strait of Hormuz’ during war

Recent reports indicate that Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard might have deployed sea mines in the strategic Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing conflict. This suggestion comes from a chart released by Iranian semi-official news outlets on Thursday, raising concerns about potential maritime threats in this crucial waterway.

This development seems to be part of a broader strategy to exert pressure on the United States, as the fragile ceasefire, which has only been in place for a few days, hangs in the balance. With upcoming negotiations scheduled to take place in Pakistan, tensions remain high.

The charts, published by the ISNA news agency and Tasnim, an outlet with close ties to the Guard, depict a large area labeled as a “danger zone” in Farsi. This zone covers the Traffic Separation Scheme, a key route for ships passing through the strait—a vital passage where 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas once flowed.

Interestingly, the charts advise vessels to navigate farther north, closer to Iran’s mainland near Larak Island. This alternative route has been utilized by some ships during the conflict, suggesting a potential shift in maritime traffic patterns.

While the charts are dated from February 28 to April 9, there is no clear indication if the Revolutionary Guard has since removed any mines from the area. This lingering uncertainty underscores the ongoing risks for vessels transiting through this narrow yet critical passageway.

A surge of violent incidents across the United States, involving suspects who are in the country illegally, has reignited intense debate among lawmakers and immigration officials. They argue that this violence is not just a series of isolated events but points to broader systemic issues in immigration enforcement.

Art Del Cueto, the Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council, expressed concern to Fox News Digital, emphasizing that the crisis has been escalating over the years. He pointed out that millions have entered the country without thorough vetting, which poses ongoing risks.

“This won’t be the last incident—more will follow,” Del Cueto warned. “We have no insight into their intentions, yet some people are quite comfortable with these individuals freely moving about our communities.”

In a recent case, Rolbert Joachim, a Haitian immigrant who entered illegally and was released by the Biden administration in 2022, was apprehended after allegedly using a hammer to kill a woman outside a gas station in Fort Myers, Florida.

These incidents have prompted Republican leaders to advocate for significant reforms, ranging from more forceful deportation measures to stricter enforcement within the country, as high-profile cases continue to emerge.

Here are five recent cases driving the national debate:

Missouri teen begged for his life in alleged ambush killing

The killing of 15-year-old Miles Young in Missouri has become a flashpoint in the national immigration debate after prosecutors say he was lured into a trap and executed.

Authorities allege suspect Yefry Archaga, 18, chased the teen and shot him as he pleaded, “I just don’t wanna die.” 

Archaga is being held on a federal immigration detainer and ICE has asked Missouri to “not release this depraved killer from jail into American neighborhoods.”

Archaga was first arrested in 2015 as an accompanied minor in Texas, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He was then released into the country under the Obama administration.

Miles Young, 15, was killed in a March 2026 ambush in Missouri. Authorities have accused Yefry Archaga in connection with the case. (GoFundMe/Greene County Jail)

Sen. Eric Schmitt blasted the case as part of a broader pattern.

“We are done sacrificing American sons and daughters at the altar of mass migration… We are going to relentlessly pursue the largest deportation operation in American history.”

Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital the killing highlights policy failures.

“In a premeditated and heinous act, 15-year-old Miles Young was targeted, lured, and ambushed—his life senselessly taken by someone who should never have been in this country,” Harris said. “This heartbreaking tragedy is yet another example of sanctuary city policies’ deadly consequences.”

Other Missouri officials echoed the outrage, arguing the killing underscores failures to remove dangerous individuals.

Illegal immigrant accused of killing wife in Dallas as ICE issues detainer

An illegal immigrant is accused of killing his wife in Texas, prompting federal officials to intervene to ensure he is not released.

Francisco Mendez-Marin, 24, is charged with felony homicide after authorities say he slit the throat of his 20-year-old wife, Karla Rangel, during a domestic dispute in Dallas. The couple had been married less than a month.

Francisco Mendez-Marin is accused of killing his wife in Dallas, Texas. (DHS)

Police say Mendez-Marin was found with blood on his clothes and a bloody pocketknife at the scene. Body camera video shows him telling officers, “I didn’t do anything bad” and “I was obligated to do it,” according to the arrest affidavit.

DHS officials sharply criticized the case, saying it underscores failures in immigration enforcement.

“This illegal alien should have never been allowed into our country to commit this heinous murder,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said.

ICE has lodged a detainer requesting local authorities not release Mendez-Marin as the case proceeds.

DHS: Illegal immigrant accused of hammer murder of mother in Florida

Federal officials announced the arrest of Rolbert Joachin, a Haitian national accused of killing a woman at a Fort Myers gas station.

Authorities say surveillance video shows Joachin smashing the victim’s windshield before repeatedly striking her in the head with a hammer in a daytime attack.

Rolbert Joachim being arrested after allegedly killing a Florida mother with a hammer. (Fort Myers Police Department)

DHS said Joachin had a final order of removal but was granted Temporary Protected Status.

“Their reckless immigration policies cost this woman her life,” a DHS spokesperson said, pointing to the suspect’s release into the U.S. despite prior removal orders.

ICE arrests El Salvador murder suspect living in Virginia

ICE agents arrested Marco Tulio Lopez-Romero in Fairfax County, Virginia, an illegal immigrant wanted for murder in El Salvador, according to WJLA. 

Authorities say he entered the U.S. illegally in 2016 and had an active foreign arrest warrant for aggravated homicide.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk down a street during a multi-agency targeted enforcement operation in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg)

ICE officials warned that such fugitives can be misclassified as “non-criminal” domestically despite serious allegations abroad.

The case has also intensified scrutiny of sanctuary-style policies in Virginia, where local leaders have limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Loyola University student killed as feds step in with new charges

Federal prosecutors charged illegal immigrant Jose Medina-Medina in connection with the murder of 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student Sheridan Gorman.

Authorities say Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan national released into the U.S. in 2023, shot Gorman as she ran with friends near campus.

Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman was killed in Chicago on March 19, 2026. (Sheridan G. Gorman/Instagram)

He now faces federal firearm charges in addition to multiple state charges, including murder.

A defense attorney suggested federal prosecutors stepped in because they lacked confidence in the state system.

“The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will take no chances that this illegal alien perpetrator will be released back into our community,” a federal prosecutor said.

Gorman’s family emphasized the human toll of the tragedy.

“We cannot lose sight of the simple, devastating truth… Sheridan had a life too.”

The broader debate

Taken together, these cases are being cited by lawmakers and immigration officials as evidence of deeper systemic issues, particularly failures in vetting, detention, and removal.

Del Cueto argued that political resistance to enforcement has worsened the problem.

“Anytime you want to do interior enforcement, they cry racism… meanwhile, innocent lives are being lost.”

Lawmakers like Schmitt say the solution is clear: prioritize deportations, expand cooperation between local and federal agencies, and tighten asylum and release policies.

Kurt Russell, known for his role in “The Madison,” has shared how Taylor Sheridan’s scripts for the series struck a personal chord with him, reflecting his own romance with Goldie Hawn.

In this new Paramount+ drama, Russell, now 75, portrays Preston Clyburn. His character’s untimely demise in the opening episode sets off a poignant narrative, as his family grapples with the shock and heartache of losing him so suddenly.

Specifically, the loss deeply affects his long-time spouse, Stacy Clyburn, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, as she navigates her sorrow and comes to realize the depth of their bond only after he’s gone.

In an interview with The National, Russell, who has shared a loving partnership with Hawn, 80, for more than four decades, confessed to being moved by the love story between his character and Stacy, seeing reflections of his own relationship.

“I struggled to get through the scripts,” Russell admitted. “They resonated deeply with me, showcasing the show’s strength in connecting with its audience through genuine and heartfelt storytelling.”

He continued, “It was so powerful for it to have a serious, true love relationship with someone, and then for one of those people to go, and for the other to realize they didn’t know how good it was – that they didn’t know there was so much more to it, and they’re not going to let that go.”

Russell and Hawn first met in 1966 when they co-starred in the comedy musical western, “The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band.”

At the time, Hawn was 21 and Russell was 16.  In 2012, the “Death Becomes Her” star told BBC Radio 4 that she thought Russell was “adorable, but much too young.” 

However, the pair’s relationship eventually turned romantic when they co-starred in the 1983 film “Swing Shift,” which saw their sparkling chemistry on full display. They memorably teamed up a few years later in the beloved 1987 romantic comedy “Overboard.” 

In 1986, the couple welcomed son Wyatt, 39. Russell also helped raise Hawn’s daughter Kate, 46, and son Oliver, 49, from her previous marriage to singer Bill Hudson, 76. The “Escape From New York” star also shares son Boston, 45, with his ex-wife, actress Season Hubley, 74.

Russell previously noted the similarities between his character’s marriage and his own relationship while speaking with Men’s Health last month. 

“Some of the conversations that [Preston and Stacy] have, I’ve had,” he told the outlet. “Goldie and I have had very similar conversations. Their relationship, it’s the kind of relationship you almost never see anymore.”

“It’s a truly loving relationship,” Russell continued. “It’s not like there’s another shoe to drop. That’s what makes it so difficult for [Michelle’s] character when she loses her husband. She’s realizing how much more they could have had that they didn’t have because of something she didn’t do.” 

“I think a lot of people relate to that kind of regret,” he added. “As you get older, and you’ve only got so much time left, that doubles things up in terms of looking at what you’ve done in your life so far and what you want to do with the rest of your life.”

In “The Madison,” Stacy and her family leave Manhattan behind after Preston’s death and move to the rural Madison River Valley region of Montana, the place that he loved the most and where he lost his life. 

Stacy, who had never visited Preston’s Montana cabin while he was alive, discovers that there was a side of him that she never knew and regrets she didn’t experience when she had the chance.

While speaking with The National, Russell said he appreciated how Sheridan balanced the show’s heavy themes with humor, especially in the face of loss.

“What I like about what Taylor does is he makes it humorous, as well as a lot of gallows humor always, always around it,” Russell said. “The cog that was in the middle of it all is gone, and you can only deal with it. You can’t get it back.”

“The Madison” went on to become Sheridan’s biggest-ever series launch after the premiere episode reached 8 million global streaming views in the first 10 days after its debut on March 14. The final three episodes of the first season were released on March 21, and the show was renewed for a second season days later. 

Filming for the second season has already been completed, though the release date has yet to be announced.

Despite his character’s death in the premiere, Russell appeared in every episode of “The Madison’s” first season through flashbacks.. While speaking with The National, Russell shared that the second season will delve further into Preston and Stacy’s relationship.

“In many, many ways, it’s better,” he said. “You see them together a lot.”

President Trump declared that the United States military was gearing up for its “next conquest,” emphasizing readiness and preparation. However, he reassured that the US would maintain its presence in the Middle East and promised a more robust response against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail.

Trump, alongside leaders from Iran and Israel, agreed to a tense two-week ceasefire on Tuesday. Representatives from these nations are set to convene in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday with the aim of negotiating a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.

This development follows a severe escalation in Lebanon, where Israeli bombardment resulted in the highest casualties of the conflict so far, claiming 182 lives and injuring 800 more. The attack has incited outrage from Iran.

Tehran denounced the assault as a “massacre,” labeling it a severe breach of the ceasefire, which has raised concerns over Iran’s potential withdrawal from peace negotiations.

In response, Iran unveiled a purported ten-point peace proposal, demanding authority over the Strait of Hormuz and the right to continue its uranium enrichment program.

But Trump blasted the proposal and threatened to take even more aggressive action as he announced that US forces will remain in the area amid negotiations. 

‘All US Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal persecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT is fully complied with,’ he wrote in a Truth Social post late Wednesday night.

‘If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the “Shootin’ Starts” bigger, and better and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.’

Trump also denied Iranian claims that a peace deal would include the country’s right to enrich uranium.

‘It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN AND SAFE.’

Trump threatened to strike Iran ‘bigger, and better and stronger’ if authorities cannot reach an agreement on the country’s nuclear program and control of the vital Strait of Hormuz

‘In the meantime, our great Military is Loading up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.’

The post came just about an hour after the president slammed reports about Iran’s 10-point plan.

‘The Failing New York Times and Fake News CNN each reported a totally FAKE TEN POINT PLAN on the Iran negotiations which was meant to discredit the people involved in the peace process,’ he claimed. 

‘All ten points were a made up HOAX – EVIL LOSERS!!! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.’

The Trump administration had been facing backlash all day over the ceasefire and Iran’s 10-point plan, which even some of the president’s staunchest allies have argued concedes too much to the Iranian regime. 

Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, for example, said Trump had secured ‘significant victories’ but expressed skepticism over the peace talks and the president’s claims of ‘total victory.’

‘The government’s still in place and we should be negotiating from a position of strength, not a position that’s good for them,’ he told CNN.

‘They will work with Russia and China as soon as they can to start rebuilding their military. And they will be a threat five, six, seven, eight years down the road. And so, as long as this government’s in place, total victory has not been earned.’

Mark Levin, a pro-Israel commentator with close ties to Trump, also said that while he trusts the President’s ‘instincts,’ the Iranians could not be trusted. 

‘This enemy is still the enemy; they’re still surviving,’ he said of Iran.

Amid the backlash, the president walked back his statement that the 10-point plan was a ‘workable basis on which to negotiate.’

A White House official has since claimed the points in the released plan did not match what Trump had in mind.

But Trump later seemed to contradict his own team, saying most points had ‘been fully negotiated’ while leaving the door open to resuming strikes if the deal fell apart as the ceasefire began with a rocky start.

Iran reportedly closed the Strait of Hormuz over Israeli attacks on the regime’s proxy terror groups in Lebanon, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

It reported that two tankers were allowed through the strait Wednesday morning as the two-week ceasefire began, but operations were suspended ‘simultaneous with Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.’ 

Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said that Israel’s strikes against Lebanon were ‘grave violation’ of the ceasefire agreement. 

He said that Tehran had told the White House overnight: ‘You cannot have a cake and eat it at the same time. 

‘You cannot ask for a ceasefire and then accept terms and conditions, accept all the areas that a ceasefire is applied to, and name Lebanon, exactly Lebanon in that, and then your ally just starts a massacre.’

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied the claims, as she agreed with Israeli officials that ‘Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire.’

Volker Türk, the UN’s high commissioner for human rights, condemned Israel’s latest strikes on Lebanon, saying they put ‘enormous pressure on a fragile peace’ in the Middle East.

‘The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific,’ Türk said late on Wednesday.

‘Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief.’

Smoke rises from an explosion in the Abbasiyeh neighbourhood following an Israeli strike, in Tyre, Lebanon, April 8

First responders stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s Corniche al-Mazraa neighbourhood on April 8

Firefighters spray smoldering debris at the site of an Israeli airstrike that struck a building in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 8

Hezbollah later announced that it had retaliated against Israel with a rocket salvo, saying that its attacks would continue until Israeli strikes end, arguing they are a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Iran threatened to destroy oil tankers if they try to travel through the Strait without permission, as the regime has imposed a toll of up to $2 million per vessel.

Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, a critical artery routing crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea, also came under drone attack at 1pm local time, while Kuwaiti officials said its air defenses intercepted 28 drones in sustained attacks targeting oil facilities, power plants and water desalination infrastructure.

Despite the setbacks, North Atlantic Treaty Organization chief Mark Rutte praised Trump’s efforts to secure a ceasefire as he discussed his meeting with the president on CNN Wednesday.

Anchor Jake Tapper asked the NATO Secretary-General whether he believed the world is safer today than before the war started at the end of February.

‘Absolutely,’ Rutte replied. ‘This is thanks to President Trump’s leadership.’

Trump, on the other hand, hit out at the alliance for its failure to intervene in the war in Iran, despite his repeated requests for NATO member nations to send warships to the area to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He was expected to bring up the possibility of the US leaving the treaty organization in his meeting with Rutte, Leavitt said earlier in the day.

‘Withdrawing from NATO… is something that the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with [Rutte] and perhaps you’ll hear directly from the president following that meeting,’ she told reporters.

The press secretary added that she thought it was ‘quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when it’s the American people who have been funding their defense.’ 

Trump’s meeting with Rutte did not seem to assuage his concerns, as he later lashed out at the alliance on social media.

‘NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,’ the president posted on his Truth Social media platform, hours after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt relayed his message that NATO was ‘tested and failed.’

He then seemed to make a veiled threat about Greenland, a territory he has repeatedly sought to take over. 

‘REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE.’ 

The president is now reportedly considering punishing NATO member nations that did not help with the war effort. 

Still, a spokesperson for NATO told the Daily Mail that Rutte and Trump ‘had a frank discussion on a range of issues related to our shared security, including in the context of Iran.’

‘The Secretary General underscored the importance of Allies continuing to step up to deliver a stronger, fairer Alliance,’ the spokesperson said.

Anticipation surrounds the return of the Artemis II crew as their Orion spacecraft is scheduled to land in the Pacific Ocean this Friday. The precise timing and location of the splashdown will heavily depend on the prevailing weather conditions off the West Coast.

Just last week, the global audience eagerly awaited the launch of Artemis II, marking the first time in decades that humans have been sent to orbit the Moon. The successful liftoff from Florida’s coast benefited from favorable weather, and similar conditions are hoped for as the astronauts make their way back to Earth.

The safe recovery of the Orion spacecraft hinges on specific weather criteria in the Pacific. Ideal conditions include wave heights kept under 6 feet and wind speeds not exceeding 28 mph.

Additionally, forecasters are looking for good visibility and minimal cloud cover, ensuring that there is no rain or thunderstorm activity, such as lightning, within a 35-mile radius of the designated splashdown area.

Forecasters want good visibility and minimum cloud cover, which also means no rain or thunderstorm activity, including lightning, within 35 miles of the splashdown site.

The splashdown location will be off the coast of San Diego. NASA is looking at an area about 50 to 80 miles offshore for the splashdown location. This gives forecasters a window of time and location to ensure the Orion crew is safe during reentry and that crews on the ground can retrieve the capsule.

There is an increasing chance for showers and possibly a thunderstorm near San Diego as a Pacific storm system begins to approach the West Coast.

A cold front will even be just offshore of California on Friday. Thankfully, the conditions expected for the splashdown window remain favorable.

As of Wednesday, the splashdown time of the Orion capsule off the California coast is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. PDT on April 10, and the forecast is expected to cooperate.

The crew will enter Earth’s atmosphere just before the top of the hour and then land in the Pacific Ocean minutes later during its high-speed reentry.

The spacecraft will eventually slow down to roughly 17 mph when it lands in the ocean, thanks to the deployment of several parachutes.

Residents near the coast of San Diego might also hear a sonic boom as the spacecraft enters the atmosphere.

NASA will confirm the exact landing time and approximate location on Thursday.