Colombo, March 4, 2026: The United States has confirmed that a US Navy submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, in what officials describe as a major escalation in the ongoing conflict with Iran.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike targeted the Iranian frigate Iris Dena late Tuesday night as it sailed in international waters, about 44 nautical miles off the southern city of Galle, within Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone.
“An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that believed it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said, calling it the first sinking of an enemy vessel by torpedo since World War II.
Heavy casualties reported
Sri Lankan authorities said they received a distress call from the Iranian vessel at 5:08am Wednesday, reporting an explosion onboard. The Sri Lankan Navy immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation.
Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara confirmed that 83 bodies had been recovered from the sea, while 32 crew members were rescued alive and taken to a hospital in Galle. Rescue efforts were still ongoing.
The Iris Dena was described as one of the newest frigates in Iran’s naval fleet, equipped with surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, cannons and torpedo launchers. Officials said the vessel was likely returning from an international fleet review hosted by India’s navy last week.
First strike outside Middle East
The submarine attack marks the first US military strike against Iranian forces outside the Middle East since hostilities escalated following joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran over the weekend.
The sinking of the warship in waters near Sri Lanka has raised concerns about the widening geographic scope of the conflict, as naval operations now extend into the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lankan navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath said the primary focus remained on rescuing survivors and recovering the missing.
US submarine torpedoes Iranian warship near Sri Lanka, over 80 dead
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