A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed, according to the BBC.
Hegseth said the vessel was hit by a torpedo on Tuesday and sank quickly. He did not initially name the ship. However, Sri Lanka later said it had responded to a distress call from an Iranian vessel, the Iris Dena, which went down about 40 kilometers off the country’s southern coast.
Sri Lankan officials said rescuers recovered 80 bodies from the frigate and rescued 32 survivors, who were taken to a hospital in the southern port of Galle with serious injuries. Based on its documentation, authorities believe about 180 people were aboard the ship.
The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 5, 2026
Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning.
Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set. pic.twitter.com/cxYiI9BLUk
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the incident, accusing the U.S. of carrying out an attack in international waters. He said the vessel had participated in the International Fleet Review 2026, hosted by India, and was carrying nearly 130 sailors.
