Key Points
- The United States Navy sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dana with a submarine-launched torpedo in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, according to statements from U.S. officials and Sri Lankan authorities.
- Sri Lanka’s deputy foreign minister said the strike killed at least 80 people aboard the Iranian warship as it was sailing close to the Sri Lankan coast.
The United States Navy torpedoed and sank the Iranian Navy frigate IRIS Dana in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka late Tuesday night, according to statements from U.S. officials and Sri Lankan authorities.
The strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine and resulted in at least 80 fatalities aboard the Iranian warship, Sri Lanka’s deputy foreign minister told local television.
The incident represents a rare confirmed submarine attack against a surface combatant in modern naval warfare.
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According to statements reported publicly, the strike occurred while the Iranian frigate was sailing near the Sri Lankan coastline in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka’s deputy foreign minister said at least 80 people were killed in the attack.
Pete Hegseth confirmed that the United States was responsible for the strike and stated that the vessel was targeted by a U.S. Navy submarine.
“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said. He added that the attack was conducted late Tuesday night.
Hegseth also confirmed the weapon used in the attack, stating that the Iranian vessel was destroyed by a torpedo launched from the submarine.
“It was sunk by a torpedo, a quiet death – the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since world war II,” Hegseth said. “Like in that war, back when we were still the war department, we are fighting to win.”
The U.S. Department of War has also released video footage showing the torpedo strike against the Iranian Navy frigate. The footage depicts the moment of impact and the subsequent destruction of the vessel at sea.
This is the first confirmed combat torpedoing of a surface warship since 1982, when during the Falklands War the British submarine HMS Conqueror sank the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano with torpedoes.
