US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has confirmed that an American submarine carried out a torpedo strike on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in waters off Sri Lanka.
According to Hegseth, the attack took place late Tuesday night and marked the first time since the Second World War that the United States has targeted an enemy vessel in the Indian Ocean. He said the operation was conducted by a US Navy submarine.
“The vessel believed it was operating safely in international waters,” Hegseth stated. “Instead, it was struck and sunk by a torpedo fired from an American submarine.”
US officials said the Iranian frigate was travelling close to the Sri Lankan coastline at the time of the strike. The incident comes amid escalating tensions in the wider region, although further operational details have not yet been publicly released.
There has been no immediate response from Iranian authorities regarding the US claim. Sri Lankan officials have also not issued a detailed statement on the reported sinking as of now.
Meanwhile Ada Derana reported that Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Arun Hemachandra has revealed that about 80 bodies have been recovered so far from the ill fated Iranian ship.
