WASHINGTON (TNND) \u2014 The United States carried out a submarine torpedo strike that sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Hegseth said a U.S. Navy submarine launched the attack late Tuesday night, targeting an Iranian frigate operating in international waters.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,\u201d Hegseth said. He described the strike as \u201ca quiet death,\u201d adding that it marked the first sinking of an enemy ship by torpedo since World War II.<\/p>\n
The targeted vessel, identified as the Iris Dena, was the newest frigate in Iran\u2019s naval fleet and was equipped with surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, torpedo launchers, and other heavy weaponry.<\/p>\n
According to Sri Lanka\u2019s Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath, the country\u2019s coast guard received a distress call at 5:08 a.m. local time Wednesday from the Iranian vessel reporting an explosion.<\/p>\n
Sri Lankan naval vessels were dispatched within the hour under international maritime rescue obligations. The ship was located approximately 44 nautical miles off the southern coastal city of Galle \u2014 outside Sri Lanka\u2019s territorial waters but within its exclusive economic zone.<\/p>\n
Sri Lankan officials confirmed at least 80 people were killed in the strike. Thirty-two crew members were rescued and transported to a hospital in Galle.<\/p>\n
Sri Lanka\u2019s navy spokesperson said rescue efforts remain ongoing, with the primary focus on assisting survivors.<\/p>\n
A senior Sri Lankan official said Iran\u2019s embassy in Colombo has indicated through diplomatic channels that Tehran believes the vessel was deliberately targeted by the United States.<\/p>\n
According to that official, Iranian representatives claim the ship\u2019s defensive capabilities may have been disabled before the strike. Iran has not issued an official public statement on the incident.<\/p>\n
Defense analysts in Sri Lanka confirmed they were informed the ship was struck by torpedoes, with reports suggesting two impact points near the vessel\u2019s midsection.<\/p>\n
The strike represents a significant escalation in the broader conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. It marks the first confirmed U.S. attack on Iranian military forces outside the Middle East since hostilities intensified.<\/p>\n
The sinking follows joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iranian military targets earlier this week. Those operations reportedly targeted ballistic missile systems, air defenses, and senior Iranian leadership.<\/p>\n
In response, Iran has launched retaliatory missile strikes across the region and halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 a critical global oil transit corridor.<\/p>\n