We know what’s coming and we are prepared.
🇮🇷🚫🚢 Iran has begun laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important energy chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of all crude oil, according to two people familiar with U.S. intelligence who spoke to CNN.
Only a few dozen having been laid in recent days, the sources said, but Iran has the capability to deploy hundreds if not thousands more, retaining upward of 80% to 90% of its small boats and mine layers operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
🔗 OSINT Defender
America’s bees and beekeepers are losing a valuable ally just when they need its help most.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to soon close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, a 6,500-acre agricultural research station in Maryland that is home to the nation’s premier bee research and disease diagnosis hub, the Beltsville Bee Research Lab.
The closure comes at a critical moment for bees. In winter 2025, many beekeepers lost over half their operations as pesticide-resistant varroa mites spread, bringing deadly viruses. The losses have led to low honey production, and soaring fuel costs have made shipping bees cross-country for agricultural pollination increasingly expensive, further stressing the industry.
