- American submarine launched torpedo attack on Iranian warship
- Major naval confrontation in southern maritime area near Sri Lanka
- Around 180 sailors were on board during the attack
- Several sailors confirmed dead, dozens still reported missing
US Submarine Attack: The growing confrontation between Iran and the United States has now reached the Indian Ocean. After the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, tensions between the two countries were already intense, and now the attack in a sea region close to India has made the situation more serious. In the southern maritime area of Sri Lanka, a submarine of the US Navy targeted an Iranian warship and sank it. A video of this attack has also surfaced, in which strong explosions can be seen happening on the ship in the middle of the sea and high waves of water rising.
The incident happened when Iran’s warship IRIS Dena was returning to its country through the Indian Ocean. This ship had recently participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 held in Visakhapatnam, India, and the attack happened on it while returning after that.
https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu pic.twitter.com/Wc1e0B0um7
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) March 4, 2026
US Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth confirmed this action and said that an American submarine targeted the Iranian warship moving in international waters with a torpedo. According to him, the ship believed that it was safe in international waters, but within a few moments it went under the sea after the torpedo strike. He also said that after the Second World War, this is the first time an opposing ship has been sunk in this way with a torpedo.
At the time of the attack, around 180 sailors were present on the warship. After the explosion, large-scale chaos spread in the sea and many people were swept away in the waves. According to initial information, the death of 87 people has been confirmed so far, while many sailors are still missing.
Immediately after the incident, the Sri Lankan Navy started a relief and rescue operation. According to officials, 32 sailors have been taken out alive so far and they have been admitted to a hospital in the city of Galle for treatment. Police and defense officials said that the rescue team has recovered 87 bodies from the sea, while 61 sailors are still reported missing and the search for them is continuing.
This attack in the Indian Ocean has further expanded the geographical scope of the Iran-US conflict. Until now this confrontation was mainly limited to the Middle East and the Gulf region, but this incident in the sea area close to India has created new concerns about international security.
