An Iranian naval vessel has been sunk in the Indian Ocean after being struck by a torpedo fired from a U.S. submarine, marking a dramatic escalation in the widening confrontation involving Iran and its adversaries.
The ship, identified as the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, had recently taken part in international naval events hosted by India before beginning its return journey. The attack occurred in international waters south of Sri Lanka, where the vessel issued a distress signal before ultimately sinking.
Sri Lanka’s navy responded to the emergency and launched a rescue operation in the area. Officials reported that 32 Iranian sailors were rescued, while 87 bodies were recovered as search efforts continued around the site of the sinking.
Military analysts note that the incident is highly unusual in modern naval warfare. The use of a submarine-launched torpedo to destroy a surface warship is rarely seen in contemporary conflicts and has not occurred often since World War II.
Iran has condemned the attack and warned of consequences, raising concerns that tensions in the region could expand further into key maritime corridors and international shipping lanes.
