A United States submarine has sunk an Iranian naval warship in the Indian Ocean near the coast of Sri Lanka, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
According to US officials, the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was struck by a torpedo fired from an American submarine while sailing in international waters south of Sri Lanka. The strike caused the vessel to sink and triggered a large search and rescue operation in the surrounding waters.
Sri Lankan authorities said rescue teams recovered at least 87 bodies from the sea and managed to rescue 32 survivors following the attack. Several of those rescued were taken to hospital for treatment.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike during a Pentagon briefing, describing the operation as a significant military action. He said the Iranian vessel believed it was safe while travelling in international waters but was destroyed by a torpedo launched from the submarine.
Military officials said the attack was part of a wider campaign targeting Iranian naval capabilities during the ongoing regional conflict. The United States has indicated that weakening Iran’s military infrastructure and maritime power is one of its strategic objectives in the conflict.
The Iranian ship had recently taken part in an international naval exercise hosted by India before beginning its journey back through the Indian Ocean when the strike occurred.
Experts note that the sinking is historically significant because it marks the first time since the Second World War that a US submarine has destroyed an enemy warship using a torpedo.
The incident has also raised questions about international maritime law and the expansion of the conflict beyond the Middle East. Some analysts say the attack highlights how naval warfare is increasingly spreading into wider global waters.
Iranian officials strongly condemned the strike and warned that the United States would face consequences for the attack on its naval vessel.
Meanwhile Sri Lankan authorities have continued recovery operations in the waters near the southern city of Galle, where the warship sank roughly 40 nautical miles from the coast
